Cauim

In addition to being the most feared warriors of the coast, the Tupinambás of Guanabara were renowned as great revelers, singers, dancers and consumers of cauim. Festive ceremonies, dances and songs were frequent. They were familiar with several musical instruments, such as maracás — rattles made from gourds, seeds or stones — as well as flutes, drums, fifes and whistles. They wore a kind of anklet with bells, keeping the rhythm of the dance steps with the music. Gabriel Soares de Sousa, a 16th-century Portuguese chronicler who was a sugar mill owner in Bahia, highlighted the fame the Tupinambás of Rio de Janeiro built for themselves, becoming known, in his assessment, as the best dancers and musicians among all the Tupi tribes of the Brazilian coast.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. On the left side, we see a group of human figures seated near a large, dense tree. The tree has many leaves and fruits hanging from its branches. On the right, there are two seated male figures, one holding a round object and the other wearing a kind of adorned hat. In the lower left, there is a child figure standing, looking at the tree.

For their celebrations, they had a sacred, religious, and ceremonial drink, which was the primary condition for holding such commemorative events. Cauim was a type of alcoholic liquor much appreciated by the indigenous people. Warrior expeditions and special ceremonies were scheduled for the time of harvesting the roots and fruits used to make the drink, which was eagerly awaited. When the first Europeans arrived at their villages, they were welcomed with cauim, offered as a courtesy by the natives.

Image description: This is a black-and-white engraving. The scene depicts a group of people in a rural setting. On the left side, we see figures seated around a large container, possibly preparing something. On the right, other individuals are standing, some holding musical instruments such as flutes. In the background, there is a small village with thatched-roof houses and a few people observing the main scene.

One of the most interesting depictions of the ancestors of the lands of Rio de Janeiro was that they were great makers and appreciators of a completely original alcoholic drink, adapted to the available material conditions. Several ceremonies marking social transitions in the life of a Tupinambá were washed down with cauim: the birth of a child, the puberty of girls, the piercing of boys' lips, the solemnities before and after war, the religious rituals commemorating the ancestors, the farewell to the souls of the dead, collective work in the fields, the assemblies of elder chiefs — in all of these the drink was present, enlivening and strengthening tribal bonds.

Image description: This is a black-and-white engraving. The image shows several human figures dressed in traditional, possibly indigenous, attire in a social or ceremonial scene. In the lower part, there are figures seated around a fire, preparing food in pots. On the left, some people are standing, holding decorative objects. In the center, other individuals are dancing or interacting with one another. On the right, more figures are standing, also holding objects. Everyone appears to be engaged in social or ritual activities.

The Tupinambás of these lands were respected heavy drinkers. Observing the festivities of the Tupinambás of Guanabara, Léry states that "neither the German, nor the Fleming, nor the soldiers, nor the Swiss; that is, none of these peoples of France, who devote themselves so much to drinking, will beat the Americans in this art." Drunk warm, cauim was above all a sacred beverage, reserved only for adults by tribal rules. Children and young people were forbidden to sip even a single drop of the liquid. Even men would only officially begin consuming cauim after marriage, which usually happened after the age of 25.

The drink was extracted from different plants, with the most appreciated one made from the same cassava we eat today. It could also be made from: native corn, cashew, manioc, pineapple, ananas, mangaba, banana, jabuticaba, potato, and genipap. It's likely that each type of cauim was associated with a specific celebration, ceremony, or action. Such as before the departure of war expeditions, when they would drink a "special" cauim.

Only women were allowed to take part in the lengthy process of making Tupinambá “wine.” Pieces of the raw material were boiled until well cooked. Then the women and girls would gather around the pot, chew it thoroughly, and return the portions to a second pot kept warm over low heat. After fermenting for a while with the enzymes left by the women's saliva, the resulting paste was put back over the fire and stirred until cooked. The drink was opaque and thick, with sediment like wine, tasted like sour milk, and could be mixed with pieces of fruit.

Since the intoxicating alcoholic properties of cauim depended exclusively on chewing, this process was imbued with mystical significance in the eyes of the Tupinambá. The women who took part in the chewing were required to keep their chastity for some time. The prettiest young women of the tribe were the most encouraged to take part in the making of cauim. The lovelier and purer the women serving the cauim were, the better and more sacred it would be. A man who meddled in this task fell into ridicule, and could ruin the brewing and strip the drink of its virtue.

On the eve of the day set for the feast, guests from other tabas entered the village adorned with feathers, dancing and singing. With maracás in hand, they circled the malocas chanting their songs, jumping and dancing all night long without stopping. The next day, the feast began in earnest. The hosts of the maloca where the cauim was kept went through the rest of the village, passing by the houses, inviting their neighbors to drink with them.

The women stood ready to serve the guests, who were, little by little, filling up the hall. Each dancing in their own way, they are served as they approach the young women responsible for the distribution. The women placed the pots over a low fire to keep the drink warm. The men were served while they danced and had to empty the bowls in a single gulp. The women would try to sip what was left, savoring what remained, so as not to leave a single drop of cauim in the bowl.

Image description: This is a colorful illustration, likely a print or painting, showing a group of people dancing in a circle. The scene is divided into two main parts: in the upper section, men dressed in colorful clothing are dancing with rhythmic movements, while in the lower section, other dancers follow the same rhythm. All the dancers wear traditional costumes, including patterned trousers and headdresses. The predominant colors are red, blue, green, and yellow, contrasting with the dancers' brown skin.

Happiness grew as more gourds were emptied, especially if that harvest's flavor was approved. They would improvise songs while circling the maloca, shaking their maracas and stomping their feet firmly on the ground: "Oh wine, oh, good wine! There was never another like it! Oh wine, oh, good wine! Let's drink our fill of it. Oh wine, oh, good wine! Oh drink that brings no laziness!".