It is difficult to state with any precision how many Kayapó Indians live in this immense territory. When evoking this time of year, the Indians refer to it simply as ‘rainy weather.’ The annual rainfall index is sizeable, varying between 1,900 mm in the north-east of the territory, and about 2,500 mm in the south-east – to give an idea, Belgium, often taken to be a rainy country, has an annual rainfall index of approximately 1,000 mm.Ĭrianças brincam na aldeia. This is certainly the most pleasant time of year and the Kayapó often refer to it as ‘good weather.’ In contrast, the rainy season is characterized by torrential rains, the inundation of most of the rivers and creeks and by the annoying presence of a large number of mosquitoes and other types of insects. The dry season is characterized by hot and windy days, cool nights and the almost total absence of mosquitoes. In Central Brazil, the year divides into two seasons: the dry season (‘winter’), which extends from May to October, and the rainy season (‘summer’), which runs from November to April. The large rivers are fed by innumerable pools and creeks, so small that some are yet to be discovered by Brazilians and remain officially unnamed.

Small hills with a maximum altitude of 400 metres, frequently isolated and scattered across the entire territory, spread across the plateau. The area is criss-crossed by river valleys. The Kayapó territory is situated on the Central Brazilian plateau, roughly between 300 and 400 metres above sea level. Kayapó knowledge of Portuguese varies greatly from group to group, depending on the depth of contact and the degree of isolation particular to the history of each group.ĭurante a estação chuvosa, as expedições pela floresta tornam-se mais difíceis. On certain occasions, such as council or ceremonial discourses, the Kayapó men speak in a tone of voice as though someone was punching them in the stomach (ben), thereby differentiating this type of oratory from normal speech. The Kayapó, for whom oratory is a highly-valued social practice, define themselves as those who speak well, beautifully (Kaben mei), in opposition to all the groups who do not speak their language. Differences in dialect exist between the various Kayapó groups emerging after the splits that gave rise to these groups, but in all of them language is a feature of wider ethnic reach, leading to recognition that they make up part of a common culture.

The language spoken by the Kayapó belongs to the Gê linguistic family, a branch of the Macro-Gê trunk. Although aware that this is how others name them, the Kayapó refer to themselves as Mebêngôkre, “the men from the water hole/place.” The people do not call themselves by this term, a name coined by neighbouring groups and meaning “those who look like monkeys”, which probably derives from a ritual lasting many weeks during which Kayapó men, adorned with monkey masks, execute short dances. The term Kayapó (sometimes written ‘Kaiapó’ or ‘Caiapó’) was first used at the start of the 19th century. Uma garota Kayapó vem da floresta portando uma cabaça (ngôkôn) contendo óleo de palmeira recentemente extraído. Their cosmology, ritual life and social organization are extremely rich and complex, while their relations with non-Indian society and environmentalists from the world over are marked by their intensity and ambivalence. The Kayapó live in villages dispersed along the upper course of the Iriri, Bacajá and Fresco rivers, as well as affluents of the voluminous Xingu river, outlining a territory almost as large as Austria in Central Brazil and almost entirely covered in equatorial rainforest, with the exception of the eastern section, filled by some areas of scrubland.

Awa tribe land hectares bacanga