Geraizeiro

Geraizeiro are the traditional inhabitants of the cerrados regions of northern Minas Gerais state, in the Southeast region of Brazil.

Etymology

This term derives from the fact that in the north of this state and in the cerrado regions they are known as Gerais, a contraction of Matos Gerais. The first name of Minas Gerais was Capitania das Minas dos Matos Gerais, that is, Captaincy of the Mines in the General Bushes. "Mines" here refers to the mining of gold and diamond; "general bushes" refers to cerrado and, near the border with Bahia, caatinga. Geraizeiro can also be called catrumano, baianeiro, abaianado.
Geraizeiro is also the name of the Brazilian Portuguese accent in the north of Minas Gerais. The central and east regions of the state speak mineiro. South and west Minas Gerais speak caipira.

Recognition

In 2007, the traditional peoples, among them the geraizeiro, were recognized by the Government of Brazil, which through the National Policy for the Sustainable Development of these Communities, expanded the recognition partially made in the 1988 Constitution, adding to the indigenous, quilombolas and other traditional peoples.

Commemoration

Since 2011, it is celebrated annually on December 8 the Day of the Gerais, with celebration in the municipality of Matias Cardoso, founded by the bandeirantes of São Paulo Januário Almeida and his son, Matias Cardoso de Almeida. The date was the initiative of state representative Paulo Guedes. The date was chosen because it is the day of the patron saint of the municipal parish church, built in 1664.