Tour in an indigenous community near Caraíva promotes a deep understanding of how Brazil’s native peoples live
Caraíva is the oldest village in Brazil. The Portuguese arrived in the region in 1530, and at that time, indigenous tribes already lived there. With about 1,000 inhabitants, the village where the river meets the sea preserves its charms and holds much history, culture, and beauty.
Indigenous Village Just 20 Minutes Away
Only 20 minutes separate Caraíva from a unique experience with the Pataxó people. The Pataxó Porto do Boi Reserve houses approximately 30 people from a small family group. And you can participate in an interactive immersion in indigenous culture, where you will learn about the history, customs, traditions, and many flavors.
To reach the reserve, you need to go by boat – departure at the riverbank – or by buggy – departure from the Xandó parking lot. Regardless of which one you choose, the journey will be a spectacle in itself. But I must say that if you choose the buggy, the road is close to the beach, so you can see the sea for much of the way. Not bad, huh?
Tip: This experience follows a whole schedule of experiences that start exactly at 9 a.m. So, arrive early so you don’t miss absolutely anything from this experience.
It all starts with a lecture on the history and customs of the Pataxó people. At this moment, you will learn their version of the history of Brazil, in addition to learning about their customs and becoming familiar with indigenous objects. Then you will go through an energetic cleansing ceremony to open the paths and an herbal bath to cleanse negative energies.
Celebrations with the Pataxó People
In this experience, you will also participate in some traditional celebrations with a lot of music, songs, typical dances, exaltation of the forces of nature, consecration of indigenous medicine through rapé, and much more.
Did you know? Rapé is a powder extracted from tobacco leaves. The preparation is done by the Indians, in their own ceremony. The powder is blown into the nostrils using a tool called a tipi. The use of rapé is a millennia-old and ritualistic tradition, being, for many, a form of spiritual ascension.
And, of course, there is the ritualistic body painting Pataxó, another incredible moment of this tour. While one of the indigenous people paints your body, he explains the symbolism behind these graphics. And don’t worry, the paint is natural and washes off in the bath. Just enjoy this incredible experience.
But if you think you’ll leave with an empty stomach, you’re mistaken. The experience ends with a very typical lunch of indigenous culture, with taioba fish accompanied by banana puree and fennel tea. So get ready to eat well, okay?
After all this, I’m sure you’ll want to take a day off to do a completely different program and go visit the Pataxó reserve.
Stay tuned!
The tour can be done throughout the year and does not need to be scheduled. Just arrive and enjoy. The immersion lasts 4 hours, but the truth is that you won’t even notice the time passing. Go with comfortable beachwear and don’t forget to pack repellent, a sarong, and water – water is not sold on site. Oh, and don’t worry about the language! You can hire a bilingual guide and enjoy every moment of the tour.
Check out everything you can experience in Caraíva and other Brazilian destinations on the Visit Brazil blog and our social media channels – @visitBrazil.
They loved it and you will too.