Bororo

Who are the Bororo?

The Bororo are an Indigenous people of central Brazil, calling themselves Boe. They have a strong sense of identity rooted in their language, kinship, and village life. Their society is organized into matrilineal clans and divided into two exogamous halves, with each clan occupying a specific place in the circular village. Rituals, naming, and funerary practices are central to Bororo life, and their social structure shapes daily activities and relationships.

Where do the Bororo live?

The Bororo live in the central region of Mato Grosso, Brazil, mainly around the Jauru, Cabaçal, São Lourenço, Garças, and Vermelho rivers. Their villages are traditionally arranged in a circle around a central courtyard, which is the heart of social and ritual life. The landscape is a mix of savanna and forest, with rivers providing fish and fertile land for small-scale farming.

What language do the Bororo speak?

The Bororo speak Borôro, a language of the Borôroan family within the Macro-Ge group. The language is written in Latin script, but literacy rates are low. Portuguese is also widely spoken. The Borôro language faced decline, especially during periods when its use was forbidden in mission villages, but bilingual education has helped its partial revival. Today, Borôro is still spoken in several villages, though it remains threatened.

How do the Bororo live?

Traditionally, the Bororo were hunters and gatherers, but today most also farm, especially cassava, maize, and rice. Fishing is important, and women are central to agriculture, especially as game becomes scarce. Houses are arranged in a circle, with shared and private spaces reflecting social organization. Rituals and communal activities often take place in the central courtyard.

How is Bororo society organised?

Bororo society is matrilineal, meaning descent and clan membership are traced through the mother. Villages are divided into two halves, each with four clans, and marriage is exogamous—people marry outside their half. After marriage, a man lives with his wife's family and has obligations to her relatives, but he also maintains strong ties to his own sisters and their children. Houses are shared by extended families, and space is divided for privacy and communal life. Funerary customs are complex, with houses sometimes destroyed after mourning.

What do the Bororo believe?

The Bororo practice animism, believing in spirits and the importance of rituals for life transitions. They hold elaborate funerary rites, naming ceremonies, and initiation rituals. Totemism is strong; Bororo identify with the red arara (macaw) and see an essential link between themselves and this animal. Some Bororo have adopted Christianity, mainly through missionary contact, but traditional beliefs remain important.

The history of the Bororo

The Bororo first encountered Europeans in the 17th century with Jesuit missionaries. Gold mining in the 18th century and later road building brought conflict, division, and loss of land. The Bororo split into eastern and western groups; the western group disappeared in Bolivia in the 20th century. Missionaries and settlers imposed new ways, including Christianity and restrictions on language and culture. Despite these pressures, Bororo traditions and identity have persisted.

Bororo life today

Today, the Bororo number under 2,000 and live mainly in eight villages in Mato Grosso. They face pressures from land loss, language endangerment, and the legacy of missionary influence. Bilingual education and cultural revival efforts are ongoing. While many Bororo speak Portuguese, the Borôro language survives in some communities, and traditional rituals and social structures remain important.

Questions people ask about the Bororo

Sources and further reading

• Bororo on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

This page was written with AI assistance from the sources above and checked automatically before publishing. It may contain mistakes, and it is no substitute for hearing from the Bororo themselves. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-02.