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Indigenous Native American Tribes and Languages of Brazil

This is an index to the Native American language and cultural information on our website pertaining to Brazilian Indian tribes and the languages they speak. Some pages contain more information than others. If you belong to an indigenous tribe from Brazil that is not currently listed on this page and you would like to see it here, please contact us about how to contribute information to our site.

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There are around 200 indigenous languages spoken in Brazil. (The exact number of languages is difficult to pinpoint, because everyone does not agree about which languages are distinct from each other and which are actually dialects of a single language.) Most of these languages have only a few hundred speakers apiece, but some of them have more substantial language communities. The native Brazilian language with the most speakers today is Kaiwa Guarani, with more than 15,000 speakers. Other major indigenous languages of Brazil include Terêna, Kaingang, and Nheengatu. Although Portuguese is the only national language of Brazil, Nheengatu and Kaiwa Guarani are official languages in particular municipalities of Brazil.

Click these links to learn more about Native American cultures and languages in Brazil:

*The Akuntsu Indians *The Amahuaca Indians *The Amanaye Indians *The Amondawa Indians
*The Anambe Indians *The Apalai Indians *The Apiaka Indians *The Apinaye Indians
*The Apurina Indians *The Arapaso Indians *The Arara do Para Indians *The Arawa Indians
*The Arawete Indians *The Arikapu Indians *The Arua Indians *The Aruan Indians
*The Ashaninka Indians *The Asurini Indians *The Atikum Indians *The Atorada Indians
*The Atroari-Waimiri Indians *The Aura Indians *The Ava-Canoeiro *The Awa Indians
*The Awaete Indians *The Aweti Indians *The Bakairi Indians *The Baniwa Indians
*The Bara Indians *The Barasana Indians *The Bare Indians *The Bororo Indians
*The Caiua Indians *The Camara Indians *The Canamari Indians *The Canela Indians
*The Carapana Indians *The Cariay Indians *The Carib Indians *The Carutana Indians
*The Cashinahua Indians *The Cawishana Indians *The Caxuiana Indians *The Chamacoco Indians
*The Chiquitano Indians *The Chontaquiro Indians *The Cinta Larga Indians *The Cocama Indians
*The Cubeo Indians *The Culino Indians *The Curipaco Indians *The Deni Indians
*The Desana Indians *The Fulnio Indians *The Gaviao Indians *The Guajajara Indians
*The Guana Indians *The Guanano Indians *The Guarani Indians *The Guarayu Indians
*The Guato Indians *The Hixkaryana Indians *The Iauanaua Indians *The Ikpeng Indians
*The Ingariko Indians *The Irantxe Indians *The Jumana Indians *The Kadiweu Indians
*The Kaingang Indians *The Kamayura Indians *The Kanoe Indians *The Karaja Indians
*The Karipuna Indians *The Kariri Indians *The Katukina Indians *The Kaxararí Indians
*The Kayabi Indians *The Kayapo Indians *The Kuikuro and Kalapalo *The Kulina Indians
*The Machinere Indians *The Macushi Indians *The Macuna Indians *The Madi Indians
*The Mamainde Indians *The Manao Indians *The Mandauaca Indians *The Mapidian Indians
*The Maquiritare Indians *The Maragua Indians *The Marawan Indians *The Mariate Indians
*The Marubo Indians *The Matipuhy Indians *The Matis Indians *The Matses Indians
*The Mawakua Indians *The Maxakali Indians *The Mehinaku Indians *The Miranha Indians
*The Moronawa Indians *The Munduruku Indians *The Nambikwara Indians *The Nheengatu Indians
*The Nocaman Indians *The Nuquini Indians *The Palicur Indians *The Parakana Indians
*The Paresi Indians *The Passe Indians *The Paumari Indians *The Pemon Indians
*The Piraha Indians *The Piratapuyo Indians *The Pisabo Indians *The Poyanawa Indians
*The Remo Indians *The Rikbaktsa Indians *The Sabanes Indians *The Saluma Indians
*The Sarave Indians *The Shaninawa Indians *The Sharanahua Indians *The Sikiana Indians
*The Siriano Indians *The Surui Indians *The Suruwaha Indians *The Tariano Indians
*The Tembe Indians *The Terena Indians *The Ticuna Indians *The Tiriyo Indians
*The Truka Indians *The Tubarao (Aikana) *The Tucano Indians *The Tupi Indians
*The Tupinamba Indians *The Tuxinawa Indians *The Tuyuca Indians *The Uainuma Indians
*The Waimaha Indians *The Waiwai Indians *The Wapishana Indians *The Waraiku Indians
*The Warekena Indians *The Waura Indians *The Wayampi Indians *The Wayana Indians
*The Wirina Indians *The Xakriaba Indians *The Xavante Indians *The Xerente Indians
*The Xeta Indians *The Xipaya Indians *The Xiriana Indians *The Xoco Indians
*The Xokleng Indians *The Xukuru Indians *The Yabaana Indians *The Yaminawa Indians
*The Yanomami Indians *The Yaruma Indians *The Yawalapiti Indians *The Zoe Indians

Recommended books about Brazil's Native Americans:
(Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through an Amazon link)

*Brazil's Indians and the Onslaught of Civilization:
    Book on the effects of European colonization on Brazil's native peoples.
*The Unconquered:
    Interesting book about the struggle to defend the uncontacted tribes who live in the Brazilian rainforest.
Tales from the Rain Forest:
    Primary collection of myths and legends from Amazonian Indians in Brazil.
Languages of the Amazon:
    In-depth linguistics book including information about dozens of Brazilian indigenous languages.
*Die If You Must: Brazilian Indians In The Twentieth Century:
    History and cultural evolution of the Indians of Brazil.
The Forbidden Lands: Colonial Identity, Frontier Violence, and the Persistence of Brazil's Eastern Indians:
    History of the east Brazilian tribes.
Racial Revolutions: Antiracism and Indian Resurgence in Brazil (Latin America Otherwise):
    Study on race and Indian identity among Brazil natives.
*Red Gold:
    History of the Portuguese conquest of the native Brazilians.

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Other resources about American Indian history, culture and society in Brazil:

Brazil Native Animals: Online picture dictionary of animal words in native Brazilian languages.
Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil: Organization supporting the human rights of indigenous Brazilians.
Brazil Indigenous Groups: Fact sheets and bibliographies on all 58 Indian tribes of Brazil.
Survival International: Indians in Brazil: Information, pictures, and news on Brazil tribes.
Brazilian Archaeology: Virtual museum exhibit on the ancient indigenous civilizations of Brazil.
Indigenous Arts of Brazil: Photographs of Native Brazilian masks, baskets and other art forms.
Indigenous Peoples in Brazil: Wikipedia article overviewing Brazil Indians and their history.
Swadesh Lists of Indigenous Brazilian Languages: Word lists from many different Indian languages of Brazil.
Brazil Cultural Objects: Museum exhibit with photos of Brazilian Native artifacts.
Brazil Language Map: Map of the regions where the main indigenous languages of Brazil are spoken.
Terras Indigenas: Map showing the location of Indigenous Land Reserves in Brazil.
Amazonian Images: Photo gallery of indigenous people of Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.
The World's Last Isolated Tribes: Lifestyle changes among the remote jungle tribes of Brazil and Peru.
Tatuyo Men and Women's Dance Ceremony: YouTube video of indigenous Brazilian music and dance.



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