Our History
We carry the sacred land in our feet, the wind and the birdsong in our voices, the flame of ancestry in our hands, and in our chests runs the river of certainty: as long as there is a Kariri-Xocó, there will be resistance and hope.
Where the land embraces the river, memory builds its home.
Before time had a name, the waters of the Velho Chico already sang on the banks of what we now call Porto Real do Colégio. It was there, in the embrace between land and river, that the history of the Kariri-Xocó people was intertwined.
Born from the union of two ancestral peoples — Kariri and Xocó —, forged in the pain of colonization and in the hope of survival, the Kariri-Xocó carry in their blood the memory of resistance and in their spirit the wisdom that time has not erased.
The village stands like a sacred womb where families, shamans and chiefs weave, day after day, the living fabric of culture and faith. The land is more than earth; it is memory. The São Francisco River is more than water; it is a sacred link that connects past generations to those yet to come.
In the Toré dance and in the deep silence of Ouricuri, the steps of ancestors resound, preserved with honor and mystery. In the craftsmanship molded by skilled hands, in the music that echoes from maracas and shells, the soul of a people who, even in the face of adversity, never stopped singing beats.
The fight for land, identity and life continues. Every plant cultivated, every word rescued, every child taught is an act of resistance. The future of the Kariri-Xocó is shaped by the strength of their ancestors and the hope that is born every dawn on the banks of the Velho Chico.
We are roots that cannot be pulled out.
We are songs that never shut up.
We are the eternal seed of the Kariri-Xocó living memory.
Ancestral Roots
Long before maps drew boundaries, the Kariri and Xocó peoples drew their stories in the sand and wind. The Kariri lived in the backlands of the Northeast; the Xocó, along the riverbanks. United by their resistance to colonization, they merged their roots, building a collective identity marked by memory and ancestral wisdom. Today, being Kariri-Xocó means carrying this union in your blood and the strength of survival in your spirit. During the centuries of resistance to slavery, many persecuted black people found shelter in the Kariri-Xocó village, especially those from quilombos like Palmares. The welcome offered by oppressed peoples generated not only survival, but also a rich miscegenation that is reflected today in the diversity of the physical and cultural traits of the Kariri-Xocó people. A story of welcome, unity and strength that echoes to this day.
The Earth and the River
On the banks of the São Francisco River, the Kariri-Xocó village breathes. The river is more than water: it is food, a passage, a spiritual link. The land, which has been taken and disputed so many times, is sacred, planting dreams and renewing stories. Every gesture of care for the land is also a gesture of reverence for life.
The Spirit of the Village
The Kariri-Xocó village is organized like a large family. The shaman, the spiritual guardian, leads rituals and cures. The chief represents the people politically. Tribal councils make decisions together; heads of households and families support the collective. From a young age, the Kariri-Xocó learn that life is about sharing: tasks, knowledge, dreams.
Toré and Ouricuri: The Sacred Song
The Toré, a circular dance open to all who arrive with respect, is an expression of cultural resistance. The Ouricuri, a secret and sacred ritual, is performed only by members of the community, keeping secrets passed down from generation to generation. Each song, each beat of the maraca, is a bond that cannot be broken — an ancestral voice that continues to echo throughout the land.
Art that enchants
From the clay in the hands of the potters to the necklaces braided with seeds and feathers, Kariri-Xocó crafts are a living heritage. The maracas, whistles, pipes and musical instruments made by hand echo the spirituality and joy of the people. The sale of crafts has become, in addition to a cultural expression, an essential source of income for many families.
Guardians of Nature
With deep knowledge of the Caatinga, the Kariri-Xocó have used medicinal plants for healing and rituals since time immemorial.
Family farming — with cassava, corn, beans — and sustainable fishing guarantee food and respect the cycles of nature.
Each seed thrown into the soil is a silent pact of care for the earth and for future generations.
The Fight for Land
Over the centuries, the Kariri-Xocó territory was reduced by invasions, land grabbing and large projects such as the Sobradinho Hydroelectric Plant.
The fight for the demarcation of traditional lands is permanent: it is the fight for physical, cultural and spiritual survival.
Every achievement, every official recognition, is a victory that echoes the cry of the ancients.
Education that Flourishes
Kariri-Xocó indigenous education is alive and organic.
Indigenous schools rescue their language and their own history and integrate traditional knowledge into the formal curriculum.
Indigenous elders and teachers work side by side to ensure that each child grows up rooted in their people, and open to walking the world with identity and pride.
