Indigenous peoples of Bahia: villages, history and culture

Published on November 18, 2012 · Updated on November 1, 2026

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The Indigenous peoples of Bahia number around 229,000 people, according to the IBGE 2022 Census. Thus, Bahia has the second-largest Indigenous population in Brazil, behind only Amazonas. There are at least 14 peoples, such as the Pataxó, the Tupinambá, the Kiriri and the Tuxá. In addition, the history of these peoples begins long before 1500, when the Portuguese arrived in southern Bahia.

Quick summary – Indigenous peoples of Bahia

Population: around 229,000 Indigenous people (2022 Census), the second-largest in the country.
Where they live: about 8 in 10 live in urban areas; the rest live mainly in villages in the south, the far south and the sertão (backlands).
Peoples: Pataxó, Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe, Tupinambá, Kiriri, Tuxá, Kaimbé, Pankararé and others.
Indigenous lands: Barra Velha do Monte Pascoal, Coroa Vermelha, Tupinambá de Olivença, Caramuru-Paraguassu, among others.
In 1500: the coast was occupied by the Tupiniquim and the Tupinambá; the interior, by the Aimoré.
Tourism: Pataxó villages, such as the Reserva da Jaqueira, also welcome visitors.

Indigenous peoples of Bahia today

According to the IBGE, there are Indigenous people in almost all of Bahia’s 417 municipalities. However, most live outside demarcated Indigenous lands: around 78% live in urban areas. Even so, the villages are concentrated in the south and the far south, in towns such as Porto Seguro, Santa Cruz Cabrália, Prado, Ilhéus and Pau Brasil, and also in the sertão, near the São Francisco River.

At least 14 peoples

Among the Indigenous peoples of Bahia are:

Pataxó and Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe, in the south and far south;
Tupinambá, in Olivença (Ilhéus), Una, Buararema and Belmonte;
Kiriri, Kaimbé and Kantaruré, in the sertão of northeastern Bahia;
Tuxá, Truká, Tumbalalá and Pankararé, near the São Francisco River;
Atikum, Xucuru-Kariri, Pankaru and Payayá, among others.

Indigenous lands

Most of the Indigenous lands lie in the south and far south of the state and belong to the Pataxó. Among them, for example, are Barra Velha do Monte Pascoal (Porto Seguro) and Coroa Vermelha (Santa Cruz Cabrália). The Caramuru-Paraguassu land in Pau Brasil, on the other hand, belongs to the Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe. In Camamu, in turn, Funai recognizes the Fazenda Bahiana as an Indigenous reserve.

Several lands, however, are still awaiting the completion of demarcation. In November 2025, for example, the federal government signed ordinances for Tupinambá de Olivença and Comexatibá (Cahy-Pequi). Meanwhile, Barra Velha do Monte Pascoal and Tupinambá de Belmonte are still under review.

Video about the Indigenous peoples of Bahia

Reserva Pataxó Porto do Boi05:58

Índios Pataxós25:16

Indios do litoral sul da Bahia25:49

Índios Kuikuro na região do Xingu06:37

History of the Indigenous peoples of Bahia

When the Portuguese arrived in southern Bahia in 1500, the coast was occupied by Tupi-Guarani peoples. In fact, the most numerous were two:

the Tupiniquim, along the stretch from Camamu to Espírito Santo;
the Tupinambá, on the coast from Sergipe to Ilhéus.

In the interior, on the other hand, the Aimoré predominated. They were also called Botocudo, and the Portuguese only encountered them later.

From barter to enslavement

At first, the relationship between settlers and Indigenous people was based on barter. The Indigenous people supplied food, timber and labor to fell trees. In return, they received tools, clothing and other goods.

According to historian and anthropologist Maria Hilda Baqueiro Paraíso, this relationship changed as colonization advanced. Then, attempts to enslave the Indigenous people became more frequent, and they resisted. In these struggles, the Tupiniquim were gradually decimated.

Consequences of colonization

Besides the wars, epidemics such as smallpox had a devastating effect. As a result, in the second half of the 16th century, more than two-thirds of the Indigenous population of the far south of Bahia died. Even so, many peoples resisted, and today they fight for the recognition of their lands and cultures.

Culture and tourism in the villages

Today, several villages of the Indigenous peoples of Bahia welcome visitors, especially on the Costa do Descobrimento (Discovery Coast). At the Reserva da Jaqueira in Porto Seguro, for example, the Pataxó share their language, patxohã, as well as dances, food and crafts. Also in the region, the Parque Nacional do Monte Pascoal lies next to the village of Barra Velha. To learn more, see the guide to the Pataxó people on the Costa do Descobrimento and the one on Parque Nacional do Monte Pascoal.

Tips for visiting villages

Choose visits organized by the communities themselves.
Ask permission before photographing people and rituals.
Buy crafts directly from the artisans; that way, the income stays in the village.
Also combine your visit with Porto Seguro, Santa Cruz Cabrália and Ilhéus.

Frequently asked questions about the Indigenous peoples of Bahia

How large is the population of the Indigenous peoples of Bahia?

Around 229,000, according to the IBGE 2022 Census.

Thus, Bahia has the second-largest Indigenous population in Brazil.

What are the Indigenous peoples of Bahia?

There are at least 14, such as the Pataxó, Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe, Tupinambá, Kiriri, Tuxá, Kaimbé and Pankararé.

In addition, several of them live in the sertão, near the São Francisco River.

Where are the Indigenous villages in Bahia?

Mainly in the south and far south, in Porto Seguro, Santa Cruz Cabrália, Prado, Ilhéus and Pau Brasil.

There are also villages in the sertão, such as those of the Kiriri and the Tuxá.

Which Indigenous peoples lived in Bahia in 1500?

On the coast, the Tupiniquim and the Tupinambá; in the interior, the Aimoré.

That is why they were the first to have contact with the Portuguese.

Can you visit an Indigenous village in Bahia?

Yes. The Reserva da Jaqueira, of the Pataxó, in Porto Seguro, welcomes visitors.

However, always respect the rules of each community.

Written by Willy Sievert

Editor of Bahia.ws since its founding in 2009. Based in Salvador, he travels frequently across the Northeast and all of Brazil to keep the guides up to date. Learn more about Willy Sievert →