978-1-4222-3341-2

found a species of tree there, with wood the color of hot coals— brasa in Portuguese. They called the trees “brazilwoods,” a term that gave the country its name. The Tupinamba Indians, one of many indigenous tribes in Bra- zil, were the first to meet the colonists, who sought to establish permanent settlements and monopolize the lucrative trade of the brazilwood. The wood was highly prized as an ingredient for mak- ing dye. The first Portuguese built settlements along the coast and began harvesting the valuable wood. At first, the Indians and European settlers worked well together. However, they cut down too many stands of brazilwood along the coast and had to push farther inland to satisfy their need. The far- ther into the wilderness the colonists roamed, the more expensive it became to cut down the trees. The Portuguese looked for another product to exploit . They found it in sugar. At the time, Europe loved sugar, although only a few people could afford the treat they called “white gold.” The climate of the Brazil and its environs was well suited for the cultivation of sugarcane. To grow and harvest the crop, the Europeans created a plantation system that relied on slave labor. Brazil soon became the center of the sugar trade and Portugal the world’s largest supplier to Europe. By 1612, Brazil was producing more than 19.8 million pounds (9 million kg) of sugar a year. INDIGENOUS RIGHTS Today, one of the most pressing issues for Brazil is indigenous rights, especially those concerning property. In 1988, the Brazilian Constitution recognized the rights of native tribes to pursue their traditional ways of life and to take possession of “traditional lands.” Despite its codification in law, the mining, logging, ranching, and farming interests continue to pose a major threat to those living in the Amazon. Settlers are illegally taking tribal land, sometimes violently. To grow and process sugarcane, the Portuguese had no qualms about enslaving Brazil’s Indians. The slaves, however, were not used to toiling long hours in the brutal sun. Many died in the fields, or were stricken with diseases

A Tupinamba Indian illustrated by Albert Eckhout, 1643.

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CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY, RELIGION, AND TRADITION