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 ...
of
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 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
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