Indigenous People

Brazil Social / Cultural Tours - The Tupi - Guarani are considered one of the seven families of the Macro - Tupi root (see indigenous people of Brazil). Between 800 and 1000 years ago, for little known reasons, a geographic expansion / (religious based migration), from the Amazon to other Brazilian regions, took place.

The Tupi - Guarani, who of all Amerindian groups had reached the most advanced civilizational stage (e.g., they dominated the art of ceramics) achieved to drive out the simpler societies, principally the Jê, and to settle along the coast.

The Jê, who were called "Tabuis" (barbarian enemy) by the Tupi - Guarani were forced to retreat to the highlands (plateaus) in the interior of the country.

About 1000 years ago, the Tupi - Guarani separated into two different linguistic groups: the Tupi and the Guarani. The Tupi setteled from Cananéia (actual State of São Paulo) to the north, in the southeast and northeast of Brazil and the Guaranis south of Cananéia in the south.

Upon the arrival of the Portuguese and the official discovery of Brazil by Pedro Álvares Cabral at Mount Pascoal, the different tribes were distributed as follows along Brazil's Atlantic coast: in the south, between Lagoa dos Patos and Cananéia, predominated the Carijó (100.000), from there until Bertioga the Tupiniquim (35.000), from Bertioga to Cabo Frío the Tupinambá / Tamoio / Temiminó (190.000) and in the south of Bahía at the Discovery Coast, again the Tupiniquim (50.000). The different groups communicated in similar languages, which later were jointly denominated as tupi - guarani or língua geral (common language) by the jesuit priests.