Archives: Glossary: 34 terms

At first, the ‘barracão’ was the deposit of goods that the owner of the rubber plantation exchanged with the rubber collected by the rubber tappers.Later the ‘barracão’ became the hall where the villagers gathered to celebrate during the festivities.

Black water rivers, unlike white water rivers, do not transport material in suspension; its waters are acidic and practically devoid of mineral nutrients. So are the Rio Negro, its tributaries, with the exception of the Branco river and the Urubu river. Black water rivers are stabilized, with a bed formed of stone and sand and…

The academic interpretation of boto’s son is that when an unmarried or even married woman becomes pregnant out of wedlock then the boto is held responsible and she will register her child as ‘son of the boto’. Specialists from the top of their chairs found the solution. However, in my view, the situation is much…

There is the caboclo of terra firme (highlands), more dedicated to hunting and agriculture, he knows and moves with agility in the dense forest of the highlands. There is the riverine that inhabits the riverbanks, more dedicated to fishing and short-term crops following the flow of the waters. Brown skin, the result of centuries of…

Campinas is an ecosystem with sandy soils and low vegetation, well differentiated from the thriving Amazonian normality. Geologically, the meadows are associated with the old beds and beaches of large rivers.

The canoe is a small boat, narrow and light, and daringly close to the waterline. With both sharp ends, it is operated by a wooden oar, but in the absence of an oar, the riverine can uses any piece of wood or even a branch. It is considered the most used means of transport by…

Cassava flour is the bread of the Amazon, always present in the meals of the caboclos: with fish, with tucumã, with açaí, there is always flour. And even when there’s nothing to accompany it, it’s flour with water, called xibé. It is still an ingredient used in the manufacture of various foods, including beijú, farofa,…

Chives and cilantro – Essential herbs to accompany fish, especially in stews (fresh fish cooked in a rich broth). The riverine woman grows her spices and medicinal herbs in suspended beds, usually made from old canoes.

The purpose of Creative Commons licenses is to help creators legally share their knowledge and professional activities to drive a new era of development. By offering free and easy-to-use licensing, it helped create a simple and standardized way to allow the public to make use of the work of diverse artists, photographers, illustrators and designers…

From the Tupi Guarani cunha-antã=resistant woman. Pretty girl, young woman.

From the Tupi Guarani cunha-antã = resistant woman. Girl, indigenous or cabocla teenager.

Curumim – An indigenous boy and by extension, a caboclo boy.

The flour oven is a steel plate with edges used to toast flour. With a controlled fire under this plate, the caboclo stirs the flour until it is completely dehydrated. This dehydration allows the conservation of flour for long periods of time. In the indigenous tradition, the plate was made of clay.

It is a small channel used to cross from one river to another.

“‘Gambiarra” or jury-rigging or make-shift solution is the Brazilian way of solving problems. It is created quickly, without following established rules or norms, and is a living proof that when the situation is difficult, Brazilians are able to make do with what they have at hand. It is common in the Amazon, where sometimes we…

Igapó comes from the Tupi language ia’pó. Strip of forest with its own vegetation, through which the waters normally penetrate during the flood season. Many varieties of fish depend on the igapós to spawn, protect and feed their young. In general, the aquatic life of the Amazon basin is very dependent on the igapós because…

In the North of Brazil, the macaxeira is the soft cassava, which has a very low level of hydrocyanic acid (HCN), allowing food consumption without the same processing as common cassava, necessary to eliminate toxicity.

A nylon net that can be made by riverside dwellers and is used for fishing. The net is crossed over a pool of water or a river and the fish that hit it becomes entangled.

Fishing instrument, which the riverside dweller weaves with strong thread and wide mesh, to catch adult tambaquis and other medium-sized fish.

When there is an exceptional flood, the water rises to the floor of the stilt and rises above it… so the riverside dweller builds a maromba, that is, a higher floor that allows him to store his utensils and even his bed in the dry.Also, maromba is a high platform made of planks or tree…

Marupiara – A person who is lucky in hunting, fishing, in business and even in amorous adventures.

Mitakuye Oyasin is a traditional prayer of the Lakota tribe, with its opening phrase used as a refrain in many other Lakota prayers and songs. It reflects the belief inherent in most Native American traditions that everything is interconnected. Source: Wikipedia

Nature Deficit Disorder – Nature Deficiency is a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book “The Last Child in the Woods” which means that humans, especially children, are spending less time outdoors resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems, a type of illness that introduces types of debilitation of physical and emotional…

Panema – The antonym of marupiara. A person unsuccessful in hunting, fishing or any other endeavor. There are more than a dozen beliefs as to the cause of this state – panemice. Superstitions or not, beliefs further affect the sufferer who, due to autosuggestion, persists in doing a poor job of performing his tasks. On…

Parana – (from the Tupi para’ ná, similar to the sea). The branch of a river that feeds water back into the same river downstream or into another river.  Paranás occur frequently In the Amazon Basin and many of them are densely populated.  

The piracema (spawning run) is the period during which several species of fish gather in large shoals and swim upstream to the headwaters to spawn.

Small propulsion engine that includes in the same block a long rod at the end of which the propeller is mounted. Coupled through a pin on the back of small vessels or boats, it is driven manually, submerging the propeller and turning on the pin to determine the direction.

The word “Tuchaua” has indigenous origin from the Tupi-Guarani language which means “The one who commands” or “The Chief”. The Tuxaua is the chief of the tribe, responsible for planning and organizing the tribe’s work and activities, as well as ensuring the collective well-being, joy and health of the people.

Fish steak from the animal’s belly area; belly, ventrisca.

The popular language refers with this term to rivers with a light ocher color, rich in sediments and whose sources usually start in the Andes. Examples: Amazon River, Purus River, Madeira River…