Mulheres viajantes: a experiência de Marie Coudreau na Amazônia (1900 – 1901)

Abstract

The present study analyzes the experience of the French explorer Marie Octavie Coudreau in the Amazon between 1900 and 1901, highlighting her role as a traveler, geographer, and writer. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, scientific expeditions to the Amazon were largely dominated by men, and female presence in this field was often silenced by traditional historiography. However, Marie Coudreau challenged gender barriers by taking over the leadership of expeditions after the death of her husband, Henri Coudreau, establishing herself as an important agent in the production of geographic and ethnographic knowledge about the region. This study focuses on her work Viagem ao Rio Curuá, in which Coudreau documents, in rich detail, the geography, fauna, flora, and social relations of Amazonian populations, including Indigenous and Quilombola communities. Her accounts reveal not only her exploratory gaze but also the Eurocentric mindset and racial prejudices that shaped her perception of the local inhabitants, especially the mocambeiros of Pacoval. She described them through the lens of "degeneration" and "idleness," reinforcing racist stereotypes present in colonial narratives of the time. Furthermore, the historiographical analysis of this work falls within the field of gender studies, reflecting on the marginalization of women in science and travel literature. Marie Coudreau's trajectory illustrates the challenges faced by women who ventured into the world of expeditions and scientific research, challenging patriarchal norms and claiming space within scientific discourse. This study also examines the impact of her work on the construction of representations of the Amazon and its populations, contributing to a critical reflection on how the region was perceived and narrated by European travelers. Thus, this research seeks to highlight the importance of Marie Coudreau’s intellectual production while also questioning the gendered trajectories and colonial discourses that shaped narratives about the Amazon in the early 20th century. The study contributes to historiographical debates on the presence of women in science and the recognition of their contributions to the field of travel literature.