Influence in Brazil Although the Tupi population largely disappeared because of European diseases to which they had no resistance or because of slavery, a large population of maternal Tupi ancestry occupied much of Brazilian territory, taking the ancient traditions to several points of the country. Darcy Ribeiro wrote that the features of the first Brazilians were much more Tupi than Portuguese, and even the language that they spoke was a Tupi-based language, named Nheengatu or Língua Geral, a lingua franca in Brazil until the 18th century. The region of São Paulo was the biggest in the proliferation of Mamelucos, who in the 17th century under the name of Bandeirantes, spread throughout the Brazilian territory, from the Amazon rainforest to the extreme South. They were responsible for the major expansion of the Iberian culture in the interior of Brazil. They acculturated the indigenous tribes who lived in isolation, and took the language of the colonizer, which was not Portuguese yet, but Nheengatu itself, to the most inhospitable corners of the colony. Nheengatu is still spoken in certain regions of the Amazon, although the Tupi-speaking Natives did not live there. The Nheengatu language, as in other regions of the country, was introduced there by Bandeirantes from São Paulo in the 17th century. The way of life of the Old Paulistas could almost be confused with the Natives. Within the family, only Nheengatu was spoken. Agriculture, hunting, fishing and gathering of fruits were also based on indigenous traditions. What differentiated the Old Paulistas from the Tupi was the use of clothes, salt, metal tools, weapons and other European items. thumb|200px|A Tupiniquim chief (Cacique) in Brasília, 2007 When these areas of large Tupi influence started to be integrated into the market economy, Brazilian society gradually started to lose its Tupi characteristics. The Portuguese language became dominant and Língua Geral virtually disappeared. The rustic indigenous techniques of production were replaced by European ones, in order to elevate the capacity of exportation. Brazilian Portuguese absorbed many words from Tupi. Some examples of Portuguese words that came from Tupi are: mingau, mirim, soco, cutucar, tiquinho, perereca, tatu. The names of several local fauna – such as arara ("macaw"), jacaré ("South American alligator"), tucano ("toucan") – and flora – e.g. mandioca ("manioc") and abacaxi ("pineapple") – are also derived from the Tupi language. A number of places and cities in modern Brazil are named in Tupi (Itaquaquecetuba, Pindamonhangaba, Caruaru, Ipanema). Anthroponyms include Ubirajara, Ubiratã, Moema, Jussara, Jurema, Janaína. Tupi surnames do exist, but they do not imply any real Tupi ancestry; rather they were adopted as a manner to display Brazilian nationalism.
INfluence in braZIl although tHe TUpi popULaTiON larGely diSaPPeAreD beCAUse of europeaN dISeaSes To Which theY had No ReSIstaNcE OR beCAusE oF slaVEry, a large pOPulAtIon of MaTERnaL tupI ancestry occupIed much Of bRazilian terrItOry, takiNg ThE anciEnT tradItioNs tO seVeral POinTs of the CouNTRy. daRcy RibeIRo WRoTE That the featUreS oF the fIrsT bRazilians werE muCh More TuPi thAN pORtUGuese, and evEn tHe LAnguage that theY sPoke WAs a tuPI-bAsed LanGUagE, namEd nheEngatU oR língua gERal, a LingUa FraNca In brazIl unTil THe 18tH CEntuRy. the rEGion of sÃO paUlo was THE biggEsT in tHE prolifeRation of mamELUcos, who in the 17Th ceNTury unDer thE Name of Bandeirantes, spreAd ThRoUgHOuT the BrAzILIAn territoRy, from thE amAzOn RAInforeSt tO thE EXtreMe sOUth. tHEy wEre rEspOnSiBLe for thE maJOr exPansIOn oF the ibeRIaN cuLture IN thE INtErIor Of brazIl. theY ACcuLTUrateD thE IndIgeNouS trIBEs wHo lIvEd in iSolaTion, and tooK the LAnGuAge of the coloniZeR, WHich WaS noT poRtuGuEse yet, but nheENgAtu itsELF, to The mosT INhospITAblE CornerS OF tHe colONy. NhEeNgaTu is still spoKen in cErTAiN regIonS Of thE AMazOn, alThOugh thE tUPI-SpeakinG natIVes Did nOt Live tHEre. tHe nheengatu lAngUagE, AS in Other reGIOns of thE CounTry, Was IntRoDuCED tHerE by bANDeIranteS fRom São Paulo IN The 17Th cenTury. the way of LIfe of tHE old pauliStas cOULD AlmosT be ConfuSEd with tHE natIVes. wiThin the FaMilY, only nhEenGatU wAs sPOKEn. AgrICultUrE, hUNtinG, fisHinG anD gATheRing Of fruits WEre aLso baSeD On indiGEnous trAdItions. what dIfFErEntiateD The old paulistas frOM thE tupi was the UsE of cloTHeS, salT, MEtaL tOOlS, weaPoNs AnD otheR eurOPeAn iteMs. thumb|200px|a tupiniQUim chief (caCique) in bRasÍLia, 2007 when tHeSE arEas Of Large tUPI iNflUenCE stARted to bE IntEgRAtEd Into The mArkeT eCOnomY, bRAzilian SoCiety GrADUALly stArted To lOse Its tupI charaCtErIsTics. The pOrtugueSe langUage bEcAme DoMiNAnt ANd lÍNguA GerAl vIrtUALlY DisAppeared. thE rustIc iNdigEnOus TechnIQuES oF proDUctiON weRe REpLAcEd by EuropeAN oneS, In order To eleVAte the capAcitY Of eXpoRTATiOn. BrazILian poRTuGUeSe aBsorbeD many WOrDs from tupi. Some eXAmPles oF poRtUGuese wOrds thAt Came FRom tuPi are: miNgaU, mIriM, soCo, cUtucar, tIQuinHO, perEreca, tatU. tHe NaMes Of sevEraL LocAL faunA – SucH As Arara ("macaW"), jaCaRé ("souTh amerIcan alLigator"), tuCaNo ("ToucaN") – And flora – e.G. MAnDioca ("manioc") and ABAcAXi ("pIneApplE") – aRe alsO dErIVEd from the tuPi lAngUage. a nUmBEr of pLacES AND ciTIEs in modErn brAzil are named in tupI (ITAqUaqueceTuba, pINdaMoNHangabA, cArUAru, ipAnemA). anthroponyms IncLude ubirAJaRA, UbiRAtã, moema, jussaRa, jurEma, JAnaínA. TuPI sURNaMES do EXisT, bUt tHey DO nOt imPly Any rEal tupi ANcestry; ratheR ThEy were adoPTed as A manNEr to DIspLay Brazilian naTiONaliSM.