The Indigenous Communities of Xingu

Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the Amazon was populated by a great number of settlements, from villages of around 100 people to cities of around 50,000. The Amazon is said to have been home to anywhere from 10 to 50 million inhabitants, with the majority of the present scientific evidence pointing to around 20-30 million inhabitants.

However, no written records from these civilizations have been discovered. All of the information known about them has either been passed down by the peoples of the Amazon through word of mouth from one generation onto another, or is based on archeological and geological evidence.

Nevertheless, we do have written records of when the Europeans arrive to this region. The first written record of the Amazon comes from the account of Fray Gaspar de Carvajal, who embarked on the first European cross-Amazonian voyage under the leadership of the Spanish explorer, Francisco de Orellana. Here, he covers various interactions that they had with the native peoples of the region at the time, and talks in some detail about the amazing civilizations they encounter along the way.

Xingu peoples are indigenous peoples of Brazil living near the Xingu River. They have many cultural similarities despite their different languages. They are further connected through a network of trade, marriages, and inter-village rituals.

The Territories of Xingu region includes 26 ethnic groups:  Aweti ,  Ikpeng ,  Kaiabi ,  Kalapalo ,  Kamaiurá , Kĩsêdjê ,  Kuikuro ,  Matipu ,  Mehina ko,  Nahukuá ,  Naruvotu ,  Wauja , Tapayuna,  Trumai ,  Yudja , and  Yawalapiti .

Despite the cultural exchange that occurs in Xingu, the Xingu peoples maintain their own language. They have 6 language families:

• Tupi-Guarani family (of the Tupi trunk)
• Juruna family(of the Tupi trunk)
• Aweti family (of the Tupi trunk and with only one language)
• Arawak family
• Karib family
• Jê family(of the Macro-Jê trunk)

Additionally, Portuguese is used as a contact language to communicate with other ethnic groups. It is a language that is spoken more fluently by the younger people. It is also widely used for commercial transactions. Television and schools help teach Portuguese alongside the Indigenous peoples' native languages.

The Amazon has the greatest biodiversity in the world. There are over 3 million species that live in the rainforest and over 2,500 tree species that help sustain this ecosystem. The people living in the Xingu basin live in tune with nature, planting and hunting for their own needs. The agriculture around manioc and rich water supplies led them to be a sedentary community.

The creation of TIX was for the conservation of culture and environment within the demarcated boundary. However, this does not mean there is not any interaction with the outside world.

The proximity to cities means that indigenous communities can have access to materials that were not previously available. They have the opportunity to access medicines, modern technology and a wider audience for exchange of culture and products.

The entire Amazon belonged to the Xingu peoples until colonizers and the Brazilian government set their sights on this vast piece of land. Even with the successful campaigning the Villas Boas brothers did, the demarcated land granted to the Xingu people for the conservation of their culture and environment is being violated. Deforestation, climate change, forest fires, illegal mining, and the Belo Monte Dam are happening at the borders of Xingu and are problems that are currently affecting the Xingu peoples.

Nevertheless, the Xingu people have proven to be extremely resilient and adaptable to the changes happening around them. In face of all adversity, the Xingu people's mindset of living in tune with nature drives their commitment and passion to advocate for the natural environment, which is their home.

We don’t protect the forest just for the sake of the forest, but for the future of our children, our grandchildren. The forest is their home, their food, their medicine. Just as you protect your homes. We don’t want to hear you asking anymore: why do you want to keep the forest standing? - Magaró Ikpeng, a woman from the Ikpeng Community

This storymap is part of the Forest City Xingu Option Studio led by Prof. Anna Dietzsch Fall 2021, College of Arts Architecture and Planning at Cornell University

In the homelands of the Gayogoho:no People

(https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/95f914c2148a453996728e8955df5dd6)