My experience in a Pataxó Tribe (MG/Brasil)

We had water. A lot of water. In the sky, on the floor, around us, around me. We were playing in a lake. Some people pushing others, mud covering our heads coming from a mud war (why is it so fun?! I love it!) and sand under our feet. Probable it still there. The same lake, same sand, same people. Same energy. Same fluid. That fluid made me feel blessed, makes me feel embraced by nature all around. By all stories that I heard, the celebrations and traditions that I was seeing.

When I was younger I went in a Brazilian indigenous tribe, the Pataxós, during the Water’s Party, or in portuguese ‘Festa das Águas’. The Pataxós living in two different brazilian states: Bahia and Minas Gerais. As I live in the capital of Minas, Belo Horizonte, I went to the village called Carmésia, because is the closest to my town. The tribe is close to the city, in a place called Guarani Farm. There have a small Pataxó village and have more six Pataxó communities in these two states and all of them celebrate this event on October.

I was there with my school in 2011 and we had a few days to explore, to inspire, be inspired by them and to learn with them. To share experiences and enjoy all games, culture and food.

Was only my first day at that beautiful village. We arrived in Pataxós at lunch and they prepared for us a huge welcome party. We saw they dancing and we dancing together, we ate their delicious food and shared stories and histories in a circle. The food in the first day was fish, rice, salad and some veggies.

All this day was raining. Could be better? Is a Water’s Party and was raining! Amazing.

Well… this natural cause did not affect their souls and bodies, neither ours. After we ate, danced and sang, the ritual begun even we didn’t know that yet. The blessing (or ‘baptism’) started when someone pass mud in the others and everybody begun to run and we went to the rain. The amount of mud began to grow in people’s hand and everyone was very dirty. Suddenly the natives start loading people and threw them into the lake! What a great surprise!

I spent four days there and along all these days I got great surprises and amazing experiences. Our experience was so intense, true and pure! In the past not only Pataxós but all indigenous suffered a lot of barbaries (and still suffering these days) and see these people trying rediscover your own identity and about your past as well was magical. People who makes me feel like them. There was no gender, color or nationality distinction. Was a terrific celebration. I could feel it. I could taste it. I could smell it. In my body, in my bones, in my ancestry.

I know is not a recent story/travel, but I found this pictures (and I wrote this text for a competition last year and found it too) and I wanted share a little bit about my story and a brazilian story as well.

Thanks for reading it :slight_smile:

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It would be wonderful experience for me if I could be able to join. It seems you had a lot of fun there @SarahKa . I like the house in the picture. Thanks for sharing the post. :slight_smile:

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It’s always interesting to know other people’s culture…

Thanks this amazing post @SarahKa

Kind regards

Sagir

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Es extraordinaria tu historia @SarahKa , me dio tanto gusto leerla, las Fotos tan divertidas , no importa si es de hace unos años, me pareció totalmente moderna y fresca. Leer que un pueblo originario vive tan cerca de las ciudades me parece muy loco, lograr preservar su identidad, sus tradiciones es muy bueno, gracias por compartirlo con nosotros.

saludos Farid

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Hi @SarahKa ,

Wow! Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience. Did you win the competition?

Since you’re new to the community, you might want to share a bit about yourself and get to know others in our monthly Introduce Yourself topic.

I look forward to hearing from you more stories.

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Olá @SarahKa ,

Que legal o seu post sobre sua visita à tribo dos Pataxós. Eu sempre tive vontade de visitar algumas das tribos indígenas no norte do país, mais precisamente a aldeia de São João, localizada na ilha do Bananal, no estado do Tocantins onde os Javaé residem.

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Welcome back with this beautiful story @SarahKa

Rediscovering tradition from “native” population, simple and exciting way to stay together, is something that we are missing, in a “virtual” word.

So thank you for sharing, we need to know more and more, and I would be happy to get soaked in the mood.

I missed you so much after Local Guide Summit '17, even if I know you were very busy.

Hope the life will give you the best, you deserve it.

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@BishowvijayaP if you came in Brazil someday, it’s easy go to a native tribe. :)) specially if you go to North. I live in southeast, but have a few too.

Was amazing. I’ve been there twice.

Regards from Brazil,

Sarah.

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Thanks for sharing that great experience!

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You’re welcome @Sagir !

Thank you for reading :slight_smile:

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Gracias @FaridTDF =)

Yo fui en este pueblo dos veces, esa fue la segunda. Es muy belo! En norte del país hay montones de pueblos como ese y algunos son demasiados pequeños y ni hablan portugués! Pero en esses nunca me fue.

Gracias por la lectura!

Saludos,

Sarah.

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Gracias @SarahKa , la última vez que fui a Brasil fue a Salvador de Bahía un lugar muy hermoso, tu post me está haciendo replantear desear visitar nuevamente Brasil desde otro lugar, un lugar más natural, más en sintonía con la naturaleza.

saludos Farid

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@VasT thanks!

No, I didn’t win, but that’s fine.

Actually I’m on connect have a year and a half :slight_smile: I went in a 2017 LG Summit, haha. I was off these months because I’m working too much, but now I’m back here.

But I can Introduce myself again, for sure!

Regards from Brazil,

Sarah.

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Aaah, que massa @FelipePK ! Eu tenho muita vontade de ir nessas do norte também, mas não tenho uma específica não. A tribo Pataxó parece uma cidade do interior pequenininha, é bem gracinha.

Abraços!

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@ErmesT thanks a lot!!

I can share more about there, what you think?

I miss you too, was so intense everything here! But now I will have time to life and to ‘virtual’, specially here (I was missing here and everyone! It’s interesting how we really are connected and build a friendship, even though it’s online hahaha).

I hope you are fine too.

Hope see you soon!

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@SarahKa yes you’re right, I’m sorry I got confused because I couldn’t see your other posts. Keep sharing your experiences with us.

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Thanks for reading @awesomecreation :slight_smile:

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Nice @FaridTDF ! Salvador es muy bueno!!

Venga! Brasil es bueno por eso, hay lugares con naturaleza, cascadas, playas, montañas, ciudades con fiestas y todo más.

Caso vengas, avisame!

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No problem @VasT I was totally off a few months, haha. It’s great back to here :slight_smile:

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This was so touchy and deep @SarahKa . Never heard of the Water’s Party. Thanks for this informative post.

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