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33-516: The Xingu Indigenous Park is on the upper Xingu River in the northeast of the state of Mato Grosso, in the south of the Amazon biome . It covers 26,420 square km (2,642,003 hectares, 6,528,530 acres), with savannah and drier semi-deciduous forests in the south transitioning to Amazon rain forest in the north. There is a rainy season from November to April. The headwaters of the Xingu River are in

66-443: A language isolate ) are spoken in the park. Indigenous languages spoken in the southern part of the park (Upper Xingu) are: Indigenous languages spoken in the northern part of the park (Lower Xingu) are: In the northern park of the park, only Trumai has been spoken in the area for a considerable amount of time. All other languages in the area are from relatively recent arrivals. There are approximately 50 indigenous villages in

99-644: A 100 km (60 mi) stretch known as the Volta Grande ("Big Bend"). The river flow in this stretch is highly complex and includes major sections of rapids . More than 450 fish species have been documented in the Xingu River Basin and it is estimated that the total is around 600 fish species, including many endemics . At least 193 fish species living in rapids are known from the lower Xingu, and at least 26 of these are endemic. From 2008 to 2018 alone, 24 new fish species have been described from

132-658: A São Paulo teaching hospital, whereby for over fifty years teams of volunteer doctors have inoculated and tended the Xingu peoples to the highest medical standards. In June 1925 the British artillery Lt.-Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett visited the upper Xingu with his son and son's friend, by the same trail and river route used by all previous visitors. They spent a few days with the Aweti and Kalapalo peoples before either being killed by one of these tribes or continuing their journey into

165-539: A few years they become ready for marriage, they are given a new name and their ears are pierced. The girls also learn how to dance and look after the family. There are many ceremonies and rituals of the Kamayurá people. Some of these rituals are: the feast of the dead, and the celebration feast of the warriors. The aim of these rituals is to bring together the various ethnic groups of the Upper Xingu area to celebrate

198-405: A round roof that is decorated with sape grass ( Imperata brasiliensis ) and the ‘house of the flutes’(Tapuwi) contain important flute ( jakui ) instruments that can only be played by the men. In front of that house there is a meeting area where the men discuss fishing trips or plan festivals and so on. The house is generally dark and is where the women and children dwell. The rainforest surround

231-557: Is of great interest because its rich indigenous cultures escaped devastation by Europeans and their diseases, thanks to a lack of rubber or mineral resources in the region, and a waterfall-rapid barrier on the Xingu River. The first explorer to contact and write about the people of the region was the German anthropologist Karl von den Steinen in the 1880s, followed by short visits by other anthropologists and government surveyors. But

264-581: The Tupi–Guarani family . The Kamayurá live in the Upper Xingu region along with Kiabi, Yudja and Suya tribes. The ways of life of these four tribes are quite similar despite having different languages. Their villages are situated around Lake Ipavu , which is six kilometres from the Kuluene River . Much like other small indigenous cultures around the globe, the Kamayurá are struggling to adapt to

297-521: The 1925 incursion to the Xingu. The disappearance of a British lieutenant-colonel, seeking a mystical city in Amazonian forests, caused a media sensation. David Grann wrote an article about this exploration, followed by an expanded book, The Lost City of Z (2009). List of indigenous ethnic groups in the park, along with their respective populations as of 2011: 14 indigenous languages belonging to 5 different language families (including Trumai ,

330-587: The Trumai and Suya. In the next 20 years other explorers entered the area, several of whom died. Percy Fawcett disappeared there in 1925. The national park was created after a campaign by the Villas-Bôas brothers for the protection of the region. An account of the exploration of this area by the Villas-Bôas brothers and their efforts to protect the region is documented in the film Xingu (2011) and in

363-650: The Villas-Bôas brothers, are now spokesmen for all Brazil's indigenous peoples on a world stage. Ever since the late 1970s the Director of the Xingu Indigenous Park has been indigenous, chosen by the area's chiefs. In the sixty years after contact with Von den Steinen, the Xingu peoples had been struck by alien diseases such as measles and influenza that reduced their small populations by two-thirds. The Villas-Bôas brothers completely reversed this decline through an agreement with Professor Roberto Baruzzi of

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396-534: The area which the Kamayurá were living. These open roads and camps directly affected the Kamayurá as contact with non-indigenous people continued. In 1961 Funai turned the territory the Kamayurá inhabited, into what is today known as the National Park. The Kamayurá society comprises several villages, a group of brothers being the owner of each household. They decide what tasks and productive activities should be conducted each day by its members. After marriage

429-560: The book by John Hemming, People of the Rainforest: The Villas Boas Brothers, Explorers and Humanitarians of the Amazon (London, 2019). The Villas-Bôas brothers and three anthropologists and activists had the radical idea of creating a vast area of forest protected solely for its indigenous inhabitants and invited scientists. This was put to the vice president of Brazil in 1952, at which a much larger park

462-617: The boundaries of the park are the Kamaiurá (355), Aweti (138), Mehinako (199), Wauja (321), Yawalapiti (208), Kalapalo (417), Kuikuro (415), Matipu (119), Nahukwá (105) and Trumai (120), who all share a common cultural system (population figures as of 2002). Also living within the park are the Ikpeng (formerly Txikao) (319), Kaiabi (745), Kisêdjê (formerly Suia) (334), Yudja (formerly Juruna) (248), Tapayuna and Naruvotu peoples (population figures as of 2002). The Xingu area

495-420: The effects of deforestation and climate change. In 2002 there were an estimated 355 people. Now there are about 544 (2010). Their numbers had made a good recovery from an all-time low of 94 people recorded in 1954, the previous reduction in numbers due to the measles epidemic . The total population was 264 when adventurer Karl von den Steinen visited the area in the 1880s. The Kamayurá village comprises

528-513: The entire village and private gardens can also be found. The region was declared a national park by the Brazilian authorities in 1961, intended to prevent further intrusions and spread of deadly epidemics to locals. The Kamayurá people currently live near other indigenous peoples, namely the Kuikuro and Kalapalo, for example, in Upper Xingu. In regards to contact with non-indigenous people, this

561-727: The first outside permanent residence there was by the São Paulo brothers Orlando and Claudio Villas-Bôas, from 1947 to 1976. They devised a new system for helping indigenous peoples, as friends, helpers and equals rather than as colonialist officials. This is now adopted throughout Brazil. By slowly introducing change at a rate that the indigenous peoples wanted and could absorb, they brought them in only two generations to awareness of all aspects of modern Brazilian society without losing their respect for their traditional communal societies and way of life. Leaders of Xingu indigenous groups such as Aritana Yawalapiti and Raoni Metuktire, both trained by

594-538: The forest. A trained surveyor, Fawcett had between 1907 and 1911 mapped four boundaries for the Bolivian government. A devotee of spiritualism, he became convinced that the Amazon forests might contain a lost city of an extremely ancient 'superior' civilization. After distinguished service in the First World War, Fawcett spent several years pursuing his fantasy in the north-east and other parts of Brazil, before

627-619: The husband moves and lives in the wife’s parents’ house. Strong alliances can be established through marriages. The genders are separated shortly after puberty. The boys are taught how to hunt for food with an arrow, do hard labour, and create a basket. Wrestling is done daily which strengthens their muscles. They are also trained in combat and taught leadership skills so they are able to look after their own families later on. This segregation lasts for up to five years before returning. The teenage girls during seclusion must learn how to weave mats, and perform many basic everyday household duties. After

660-617: The largest clearwater rivers in the Amazon basin , accounting for about 5% of its water. The first Indigenous Park in Brazil was created in the river basin by the Brazilian government in the early 1960s. This park marks the first indigenous territory recognized by the Brazilian government and it was the world's largest indigenous preserve on the date of its creation. Currently, fourteen tribes live within Xingu Indigenous Park , surviving on natural resources and extracting from

693-438: The life of the deceased. Bows and arrows (made with high quality materials), snail-shell belts and ceramic pots are traded with other tribes. Fish nets, canoes , flutes and hammocks are made as specialised goods. The traditional Kamayura diet generally consists of fish , beiju , porridge , pepper and bananas . Fish is the main source of protein. Birds are hunted in the rain forest while wild berries are gathered as

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726-478: The park. Below is a list of villages in the Xingu Indigenous Park arranged by ethnic group: Xingu River The Xingu River ( / ʃ iː ŋ ˈ ɡ uː / sheeng- GOO ; Portuguese : Rio Xingu [ˈʁi.u ʃĩˈɡu] ; Mẽbêngôkre : Byti [bɯˈti] ) is a 1,640 km (1,020 mi) river in north Brazil . It is a southeast tributary of the Amazon River and one of

759-440: The perimeter was made in 1978.) The area was soon given the designation of "Indigenous Park" to cover the dual purpose of protecting the environment and the indigenous people, with all others excluded. It was the first such vast protected area in the world, and was the prototype of large indigenous territories throughout Amazonia which now protect a significant proportion of surviving tropical rain forests. The Xingu Indigenous Park

792-542: The river most of what they need for food and water. The Brazilian government built the Belo Monte Dam on the Lower Xingu, which began operations in 2019 and is the world's fifth-largest hydroelectric dam. Construction of this dam was under legal challenge by environment and indigenous groups, who assert the dam would have negative environmental and social impacts along with reducing the flow by up to 80% along

825-471: The river. Many species are seriously threatened by the dam, which will significantly alter the flow in the Volta Grande rapids. In the Upper Xingu region was a highly self-organized pre-Columbian anthropogenic landscape, including deposits of fertile agricultural terra preta , black soil in Portuguese , with a network of roads and polities each of which covered about 250 square kilometers. Near

858-483: The source of Xingu River is Culuene River , a 600 kilometres (370 mi) tributary. [REDACTED] Media related to Xingu River at Wikimedia Commons Kamayur%C3%A1 people The Kamayurá are an indigenous tribe in the Amazonian Basin of Brazil . Their name is also spelled Kamayura and Kamaiurá ; it means "a raised platform to keep meat, pots and pans." The Kamayurá language belongs to

891-520: The south of the park. The area covered by the park was defined in 1961 and covers parts of the municipalities of Canarana , Paranatinga , São Félix do Araguaia , São José do Xingu , Gaúcha do Norte , Feliz Natal , Querência , União do Sul , Nova Ubiratã and Marcelândia in the state of Mato Grosso. To the east is the basin of the Araguaia River , the main branch of the Tocantins. To

924-619: The west and south is the Teles Pires branch of the Tapajos River . Much of the surrounding area, except to the north, is now heavily deforested. On the east side the deforested or unforested area extends northeast marking the approximate southeastern edge of the Amazon forest. At the center of the park a fan of rivers join. These are, counter-clockwise, Ferro River , Steinem, Ronuro, Jatoba, Batavi (or Tamitatoala), Auiiti, Culiseu, Culuene River and Tonguro. The Upper Xingu region

957-668: Was a highly self-organized pre-Columbian anthropogenic landscape, including deposits of fertile agricultural terra preta , black soil in Portuguese, with a network of roads and polities each of which covered about 250 square kilometers. The Upper Xingu region was heavily populated prior to European and African contact. Densely populated settlements developed from 1200 to 1600 CE. Ancient roads and bridges linked communities that were often surrounded by ditches or moats. The villages were pre-planned and featured circular plazas. Archaeologists have unearthed 19 villages so far. The upper Xingu

990-641: Was first seen in 1884 with the exploration of Karl Von den Stein. At this time the Kamayurá were situated on the banks of the Lake Ipavu. Karl Von den Stein was a German explorer, and with his exploration opened up opportunities for other explorers to pass through the region of which the Kamayurá were situated. In 1942 the Federal Agency was created as well as the Central Brazil Foundation, this opened roads and established camps in

1023-542: Was initially a presidential department, but is now subject to both the indigenous agency Funai and the environmental agency Ibama. By the late 1990s livestock and soya farms to the northeast of the park were starting to reach the park, as was deforestation to the west of the park. The effects of human activity outside the park were starting to pollute the waters of the park. The park remains an island of forest and rivers increasingly threatened by polluting activity and deforestation outside its perimeter. The people living within

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1056-551: Was one of the last parts of Brazil to be reached by Europeans. From the north it was protected by the Xingu's many rapids. From the south it was protected by thin settlement and the warlike Bororo and Xavante , among others. In 1884 Karl von den Steinen headed northwest from Cuiabá to some Christianized Bakairi on the upper Teles Pires . They led him two weeks east to the Batavi River where they built canoes. They went downstream and met some uncontacted Bakairi, as well as

1089-621: Was proposed. However, the proposal was opposed by the state of Mato Grosso which began granting land within the proposed area to colonizing companies. Nine years of bitter political and media struggle ensued, until a new president of Brazil, Jânio Quadros (a family friend of the Villas-Bôas) rammed it through as a presidential decree, but at a greatly reduced area to satisfy the state government. The park came into existence by decree 50.455 of 14 April 1961. (Adjustments were made on 31 July 1961, 6 August 1968 and 13 July 1971. The final demarcation of

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