The Potiguara (also Potyguara or Pitiguara) are an

indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. The Potiguara people live in

Paraíba Paraíba ( , ; ) is a states of Brazil, state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba i ...

, in the municipalities of Marcação,

Baía da Traição Baía da Traição is a municipality in the state of Paraíba in the Northeast Region of Brazil. See also *List of municipalities in Paraíba This is a list of the municipalities in the States of Brazil, state of Paraíba, Paraíba (PB), locat ...

and Rio Tinto. Their population numbers sixteen thousand individuals, who occupy 26 villages in 3 reservations ('' Terras Indígenas''): Potiguara, Jacaré de São Domingos e Potiguara de Monte-Mor. Their name, ''Potiguara'', means "

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

-eaters", from ''poty'', "shrimp", and ''uara'', "eater", according to Brazilian

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

José de Alencar José Martiniano de Alencar (May 1, 1829 – December 12, 1877) was a Brazilian lawyer, politician, orator, novelist and dramatist. He is considered to be one of the most famous and influential Brazilian Romantic novelists of the 19th century, ...

History

According to José de Alencar, the Potiguara were allies of the Portuguese during Brazil's colonial period, especially during the

Dutch invasions in Brazil The Dutch invasions in Brazil, ordered by the Dutch West India Company (WIC), occurred during the 17th century. Considered the biggest political-military conflict in the Colonial Brazil, colony, the invasions were centered on the control of sugar ...

António Filipe Camarão Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popul ...

, a chief of the Potiguara in the seventeenth century was rewarded with a noble title and membership in the prestigious Order of Christ for his loyal service to the crown against the Dutch invaders in Brazil. Indigenous peoples were recruited as allies on both sides of the conflict in which ultimately the Dutch were defeated and expelled.Francis A. Dutra, "Dutch in Colonial Brazil" in ''Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture'', vol. 2, p. 415. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.

References

Indigenous peoples in Brazil Indigenous peoples of Eastern Brazil {{brazil-ethno-group-stub