Space-Time Mapping in a Riverside Community in the Amazon

This article presents space-time mapping in a riverside community called São Luis do Macari, located on Panamim Island, in the mid-course of the Solimões River, in the State of Amazonas, Brazil. The sociodynamics of the community have been undergoing significant transformations induced by the natural phenomenon of “Terras Caídas” (Falling Lands). The procedures involved cartographic document research, mapping on the OpenStreetMap and StreetComplete platforms, aerial surveys, satellite image analysis, bibliographic research, and fieldwork. Despite being dynamic, the morphological changes of the island have significant implications on the lives of the riverside dwellers, with a notable loss of the community’s useful area and material goods. The lack of detailed mapping of riverside communities leads to the loss of part of their history when they are forced to relocate their homes and other buildings due to the advances of the Terras Caídas near the community’s constructions. The mapping carried out by the researchers may be the last record of the community, which, due to the risks posed by the Terras Caídas, is in the process of relocating to another area.