A terra que separa e as remessas que aproximam: uma etnografia sobre família e circulação de cuidados entre migrantes haitianos na cidade de Manaus/Am

Abstract

The flows that cross and expand international borders are characterized by triggering a decisive impact on the lives of the subjects involved and on their respective sociocultural contexts. In the relational universe of the family, the physical absence caused by migration ends up jeopardizing an ideal type of family where “being together physically” is seen as fundamental. In this context, in order to continue the affective ties with those who stayed behind, the migrant subjects start to develop new strategies that allow them to preserve the affective ties while they are not physically present. It results, therefore, in a specific way of life where the continuity of family relationships does not necessarily occur through physical presence, but through a relationship that is nurtured at a distance. Aiming to understand the relationships and family arrangements resulting from the migratory process, in this research I try to address issues related to migration and new forms of family based on the ethnographic study of Haitian migrants in the city of Manaus-AM. The methodology used was based on direct observation made in family gathering places and semi-structured interviews, whose ethnographic analysis was not limited to the physical space, but expanded to other ethnographic fields, as well as the internet field, which made it possible to carry out much of the data collection through remote survey. Based on the analysis of the data obtained, it was found that the search for the continuity of family ties is due to a dynamism where sending remittances is seen as fundamental. In this context, linked to a family ideal, remittances are detached from a purely economic dimension and also start to have a social meaning, since they symbolize the emotional presence of those who are physically absent. Thus, the periodic sending of money, gifts, merchandise and remote communication, begin to indicate the existence of lasting ties that help to make visible the family relationships that connect Manaus to Port-au-Prince and other cities in Haiti. Remittances as relationships become, therefore, an important element to understand the transnational family relationships of Haitians in the Amazon.