"[...] e saranno buoni coloni utili al paese". Imigração, colonização e catequese entre os Kaingang do Toldo do Fachinal, no nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul (1903-1921)

The present article aims to address the existing correlation between private colonization and indigenous catechesis carried out in the northeast of Rio Grande do Sul, in Toldo do Fachinal, then municipality of Lagoa Vermelha. It raises questions regarding the parity between the processes of colonization by european immigrants and the actions of the missionaries from the Ordem dos Frades Menores Capuchinhos in the region, both advancing upon a Kaingang indigenous territory. By utilizing various sources, such as correspondence from the capuchins and agents of State and federal governments, the goal is to comprehend colonization, its relationship with the missionaries, and the influence of both in the indigenous catechesis project. The indigenous catechesis in Toldo do Fachinal, although short-lived, remained within the expectations of the capuchins missionaries for at least two decades, aiming to undertake a process of transforming the native into a rural worker.