This work examines how the construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Dam at
Xingu River, in Altamira city, Pará state is transforming the relationship between
ribeirinhos, riverine people, and their traditional territories. Before the dam, the
riverine people maintained relative territorial and social-economic autonomy. Since
the construction of Belo Monte, the State and private companies are abusing their
power in an attempt to gain territorial control and influence local dynamics.
Subsequently, land-use planning in the region is changing. Previously organized by
the ribeirinhos according to their own rules and subsistence needs, the land is now
regulated by new private actors, impacting and altering the nature and purpose of the
communities’ traditional activities. In order to conduct this analysis, I use the
dialectical method due to its ability to analyze the contradictions of the territory.
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