Araweté: the tragic history of a lesser-known Amazon tribe

The Araweté are a Tupi-Guarani hunter-gatherer tribe living in the solid ground forests of the Brazilian Amazon. About 35 years ago, the tribe migrated southeast from the head of the Bacajá River to the grand Xingu River, in the state of Pará. Their existence was unknown to the authorities until the early 1970s, and official contact was made with the National Indigenous Foundation (Funai) in 1976. At the time, the tribe sought refuge on the banks of the Xingu while fleeing from the Parakanã, another Tupi-Guarani group.

The name “Araweté,” invented by a civil servant from Funai, doesn’t actually mean anything in the tribe’s indigenous language. In fact, the only term used by the group which could be considered self-denomination would be bïde, meaning “us,” “the people,” ”the human beings.” All humans are bïde, but the quintessential people are the “Araweté.” Meanwhile, other indigenous peoples and the “white man” are called awi, “foreigners” or “enemies.”

The Araweté population at the time of contact with Funai was under 200 people. Due to the tribe’s conditions at the time, disease and malnutrition caused their numbers to diminish to 120 people by 1977. In September 1992, the tribe had a population of 206, effectively regaining its pre-contact numbers.

While still vulnerable...