Sateré-Mawé: Amazonian Resilience

The Sateré-Mawé language is an indigenous language spoken in the Amazon region, primarily by communities inhabiting the Middle Amazon River area, specifically within the boundaries of the Andirá-Marau Indigenous Land.

This land, which spans 788,528 hectares, was officially demarcated in 1986 and is located between the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Pará.

The Sateré-Mawé people have historically been referred to by various names in historical records, including Maooz, Mabué, Manguês, Jaquezes, Maguazes, Mahues, Magués, Muris, Mawe, Maraguá, Mahué, Magueses, and Andirazes

with references to these names dating back to the colonial era in documents from the Portuguese Crown, Jesuit reports, and European explorers.

These communities are also present in urban areas such as Maués, Parintins, and Barreirinha, and in Manaus, the state capital, where four Sateré-Mawé communities currently reside.

The guaraná plant, which is integral to many Sateré-Mawé rituals, plays a central role in ceremonies such as cápó—a collective beverage preparation and consumption ritual used in decision-making processes.

Another well-known ritual is the tucandeira rite, a rite of passage in which young males endure the painful stings of tucandeira ants as a demonstration of endurance and courage.

In 2023, the Sateré-Mawé language was formally recognized as an official language of the state of Amazonas, reflecting both the cultural significance and the linguistic revitalization efforts aimed at preserving the language for future generations.

This official recognition is a critical step in the broader context of language preservation among indigenous communities in Brazil, contributing to the maintenance of linguistic diversity in the Amazon region.