The "Confederacy of Tamoios " represented a conflict of indigenous resistance, mostly of the Tupinambás (Tupiniquins, Aimorés and Temiminós), which took place between 1554 and 1567, in the period called Colony Brazil , in the areas between the north coast of São Paulo and the south of Rio de Janeiro (from Bertioga to Cabo Frio). It was the first major conflict of the Indians in Brazil, who fought for freedom and also for the territory, which brought together numerous chiefs resulting in the death of many Portuguese, French, Indians and the flight of some.
To learn more:Colonial Brazil and Brazilian Indians
Abstract
With the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazilian lands, the peoples who were here (Indians) entered into several conflicts due to the protection of their lands and, in addition, many of them were enslaved by the Europeans. This event represented, in part, the end of indigenous slavery and the beginning of African slavery, which in turn lasted about 400 years. It was from there that the slave ships emerged, which exported Africans to be enslaved in the New World.
One of those responsible for the Captaincy of São Vicente, Brás Cubas and his friend João Ramalho were in favor of indigenous enslavement. Faced with this context, many Indians revolted and under the leadership of the Tupinambá indigenous chief Cunhambebe, alongside the chiefs Pindobuçú, Koakira, Araraí and Aimberê, the Confederation of Tamoios represented one of the bloodiest battles between settlers and Europeans, which further strengthened the the presence of the Portuguese Crown in Brazil.
To learn more:Slavery in Brazil, Indigenous Culture, African Culture
Curiosities
- The term “Tamoio” attributed to the revolts between indigenous and Portuguese in the 16th century, in the Tupi language, means “ancestor”.
- In honor of the indigenous resistance uprisings, many streets, avenues and squares in the country bear his name, such as the Rodovia dos Tamoios, on the coast of São Paulo, a region previously inhabited by indigenous people.