THE PERFUME CITY AND ITS SPORT CLUB:

leisure, culture and social networks in the district headquarters of Iguaçu (1917-1939).

Abstract

The "City of Perfume," a moniker attributed to the district seat of Iguaçu due to its involvement in citrus farming, has undergone urban interventions that reorganized its layout. Squares, bars, the opening and/or improvement of streets, commercial establishments, sports clubs, cinemas, and new public spaces were among the actions undertaken by the municipality. The city's central area was adorned for the forthcoming "new times." Closely following these interventions, Silvino de Azeredo and his newspaper, the Correio da Lavoura—one of the 20 oldest periodicals still in circulation in Brazil—publicized local governance practices while also engaging in formal and informal spaces of sociability. Among these, the Sport Club Iguaçu holds a prominent place, extending its influence beyond its immediate boundaries. The municipality and the "Club" often intertwined. In dialogue with Pesavento (2007), this work proposes a brief understanding of the multiple cities that intrinsically coexist in the district seat of Iguassú and the pedagogical actions proposed by local governance. Cunha (2008) provides the foundations for understanding how these mediated spaces transform into places and social territories. The methodology employed was Historical Research in/with the local periodical. Finally, the works of Alexandre (2021), Dias (2014), Silva (2009), Melo (2015), and Simões (2007) complete the theoretical framework used to scrutinize the social practices of Iguaçu during the period. This proposal aims to contribute to the production of knowledge about the rich histories of the city of Nova Iguaçu.