Xingu National Park

location of Xingu National Park in Brazil

The Xingu National Park (Parque Nacional Xingu) (pronounced [ʃĩˈɡu]) is a national park created in 1961 in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Its purposes are to protect the environment and the indigenous peoples of the area.

History

It was created on April 14, 1961, after a campaign by the Villas-Bôas brothers for protection of the region. The decree creating the park was signed by President Jânio Quadros.The area of the park is 2,642,003 ha. (26,420 km²), and it is contained in the municipalities of Mato Grosso; Canarana, Paranatinga, São Félix do Araguaia, São José do Xingu, Gaúcha do Norte, Feliz Natal, Querência, União do Sul, Nova Ubiratã and Marcelândia.^[1] The story is documented in the film Xingu.

Pátio da Aldeia Kamaiurá, Alto-Xingu. Indigenous people playing the "Uruá" flute

The National Park was created with the twin objectives of protecting the environment and the indigenous populations of the area. The tribes in the park are the Kamayurá (355), Kaiabi (745), Yudjá (248), Aweti (138), Mehinako (199), Wauja (321), Yawalapiti (208), Ikpeng (319), Kalapalo (417), Kuikuro (415), Matipu (119), Nahukwá (105), Suyá (334) and Trumai (120), population figures as of 2002.

The Xingu area is of interest among other reasons for the history of early-20th century exploration by Europeans, among whom perhaps Percy Harrison Fawcett is most notable. He sought out a city rumored since early 16th-century European contact. David Grann's book, The Lost City of Z documents not only those early explorations, but more recently found evidence of large-scale civilizations pre-dating Spanish and Portuguese contacts.

References

External links

• Interview with Orlando Villas Boas on the history of the park (in Portuguese)
• Photographs of everyday life in the park
• Maps of Xingu National Park

Coordinates: 11°13′55″S 53°11′06″W / 11.232°S 53.185°W / -11.232; -53.185

Protected areas of Brazil National parks Abrolhos Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park Amazônia Aparados da Serra Araguaia Araucárias Brasília Cabo Orange Campos Gerais Caparaó Cavernas do Peruaçu Chapada das Mesas Chapada Diamantina Chapada dos Guimarães Chapada dos Veadeiros Emas Fernando de Noronha Furna Feia Grande Sertão Veredas Iguaçu Ilha Grande Itatiaia Jacupiranga Jaú Jericoacoara Jurubatiba Juruena Lençóis Maranhenses Monte Pascoal Monte Roraima Nascentes Pacaás Novos Pantanal Matogrossense Pau Brasil Pedra Azul Pico da Neblina Pontões Capixabas Lagoa do Peixe Saint-Hilaire São Joaquim Sempre Vivas Serra da Bocaina Serra da Bodoquena Serra da Canastra Serra da Capivara Serra da Cutia Serra de Itabaiana Serra da Mocidade Serra do Cipó Serra do Divisor Serra do Itajaí Serra do Pardo Serra dos Órgãos Serra Geral Sete Cidades Superagüi Terra Ronca Tijuca Tumucumaque Ubajara Vale do Catimbau Viruá Xingu Biological reserves Abufari Andradina Apiacás Atol das Rocas Augusto Banhados do Delta Canela Preta Carmo da Mata Colônia 31 de Março Comboios Córrego de Veado Córrego Grande Fazenda São Mateus Fontes do Ipiranga Guaporé Guaratiba Guaribas Gurupi Ibirapuitã Ilha do Cabo Frio Jaíba Jaru Lago Piratuba Lami José Lutzenberger Lapinha Maracá Marinha do Arvoredo Mata do Acauã Mata do Jambreiro Mata dos Ausentes Mata Paludosa Mogi-Guaçu Pedra Talhada Perobas Pindorama Poço das Antas Praia do Sul Biological Reserve Professor José Ângelo Rizzo Rio Trombetas Saltinho Santa Isabel Santa Rita São Camilo São Donato São Sebastião do Paraíso Serra Negra Sooretama Tamboré Tapirapé Tinguá Uatumã Una Vila Facchini Ecological reserves Alcobaça Ilha dos Lobos Juami-Japurá Jutaí-Solimões Raso RECOR Sauim-Castanheiras Ecological stations Anavilhanas Aracuri Caracaraí Carijós Guaraqueçaba Iquê Jari Juami-Japurá Maracá Maracá-Jipioca Niquiá Pirapitinga Rio Acre Seridó Serra das Araras Taiamã Taim Tamoios Tupinambás Tupiniquins Uruçui-Una Environmental protection areas Anhatomirim Bacia do Rio Descoberto Bacia do Rio São Bartolomeu Barra do Rio Cairuçu Cananéia-Iguape Carste Cavernas do Peruaçu Fernando de Noronha Guaraqueçaba Ibirapuitã Igarapé Gelado Jericoacoara Morro da Pedreira Petrópolis Piaçabuçu Quapi-Mirim Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago Serra da Mantiqueira Serra de Tabatinga