Piumhi
Piumhi is a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It serves as the seat of the Immediate Geographic Region of Piumhi within the Intermediate Geographic Region of Varginha. According to the 2022 census, it has a population of 36,062 inhabitants.
It is ranked as the 45th municipality in quality of life among the 853 municipalities of Minas Gerais, with a life expectancy of 67.1 years. In a ranking of moderate socio-economic development, Piumhi was placed 110th in Minas Gerais, with an index of 0.7564.
Etymology
There are two etymological hypotheses for the toponym "Piumhi":- It may derive from the Old Tupi term pi'um'y, meaning "river of black flies".
- The meaning of the word "Piumhi" is also presented in historical documents as deriving from the Tupi term for "fish river", referring to the Piuí River. The analysis follows the methodology of Teodoro Sampaio in his work O Tupi na Geografia Nacional. According to his writings, to determine the etymology of a toponym, one must first examine its original orthography as recorded in the oldest documents. In early records, including ecclesiastical and historical archives, the name of the place and the river appears as Piauhy.
- a) In the report by Alferes Moreira.
- b) In the second account given by Alferes Moreira to Father Diogo Soares regarding his expeditions that led to the discovery of the celebrated Morro da Esperança in 1731 and 1732.
- c) In all regional land grant requests.
- d) In documents from the late 18th century and early 19th century, where the spelling is consistently recorded as Piauhy.
Analysing these old records reveals an evolution in spelling: the original Piauhy was altered to Piauim, indicating a phonetic variation known as nasalization.
This linguistic variation, described by Teodoro Sampaio from a colonial perspective as a "language corruption" inherited from indigenous languages, led to further changes, resulting in the final form Piumhi.
Regarding the meaning of the phoneme Piumhi, the same methodology applies: an analysis based on documented historical records. Since the original spelling was Piauhy and nasalization occurred in the 19th century, the original meaning must be sought in Piauhy. This term consists of piau = fish and i = water, river, forming Piauí, meaning "fish river".
A specific reason for this name was provided by Alferes Moreira, who, when referring to the Piauí River, reported that "it has plenty of fish".
Moreira also mentioned the São Francisco River, travelled extensively along the Rio Grande, referenced the Lambari River, and cited the Rio Verde, describing them all as abundant in fish. However, only the Piuí River caught his attention due to its exceptional fish population.
The name Piumhi eventually gained popularity among locals, leading to the enactment of a law that officially recognized this spelling.
It is also important to note that Tupi-origin toponyms in Minas Gerais were not created by the native peoples of the region, as they did not belong to the Tupi people. Instead, these names were coined either by indigenous guides accompanying expeditions, usually from coastal areas, or by bandeirantes like Batista Maciel, who spoke the general language.
History
Until the 18th century, the present-day state of Minas Gerais was inhabited by various indigenous nations belonging to the Macro-Jê linguistic trunk. In 1731, the region was explored by the sertanista João Batista Maciel, who, originating from São Paulo, led an expedition searching for gold near the source of the São Francisco River. Maciel settled in Piraquara, on the right bank of the São Francisco River, within the jurisdiction of the town of Pitangui. That same year, he organised an expedition with his sons, associates, and enslaved people, exploring the Upper São Francisco and discovering gold panning sites along the Piuí River. Later in 1731, Maciel returned to Pitangui with news of the discovery of gold mines in the hinterland of Piuí.An immediate expedition was organised, led by the parish priest of Pitangui, Father Luís Damião, and the procurator of the town council, João Veloso Falcão. Maciel himself guided the group, which was large and aimed to claim ownership of the "land of Piui". They proceeded and took possession of the hinterlands. Father Damião celebrated Mass, considered the first celebrated in Piuí, in 1731, but the gold was not found in the expected abundance.
Due to the disappointment, Batista Maciel was arrested as a fraudulent discoverer, accused of causing the significant expenses incurred by the expedition. However, two of his sons and several associates mutinied, leading to an exchange of gunfire in which the chamber procurator, João Veloso Falcão, was wounded in the arm. Free once again, Batista Maciel withdrew with his sons, associates, and enslaved people, relocating to Perdizes, along the São Francisco River, near what is now the city of Iguatama.
Two other explorers, sertanistas, also have their efforts documented: Captain Tomás de Souza, who resided in Pitangui and followed the "Three Hills" route through the Piui hinterlands and the Upper São Francisco, and Alferes Moreira, who also set out from Pitangui and explored the region. Moreira documented his encounter with Batista Maciel and Tomás de Souza in Piui in his "2nd Report to Father Diogo Soares".
The town developed around mining activities along the banks of the Cavalo stream, initially named Nossa Senhora do Livramento.
In 1736, the region was traversed by the Goiás Trail, and the first land grants were distributed. The trail was not a government initiative; it was opened by a group of explorers who requested certain privileges, such as priority access to land grants along the trail and a temporary prohibition on settlement by outsiders. These demands were granted, and the corresponding decree was issued by Governor Martinho de Mendonça de Pina e Proença in July 1736.
Shortly after the land grants were issued, the settlers were forced to leave, effectively halting travel along the trail. Escaped enslaved individuals formed quilombos in the region, engaging in raids and causing disruptions until 1743, when they were attacked and their settlements destroyed. This marked the resumption of colonization and mining activities.
By 1752, mining had intensified, possibly marking the beginning of the village. That same year, Father Marcos Freire de Carvalho, acting as an emissary from Mariana, officially claimed Piumhi for the diocese.
In early 1754, when the mines of the Captaincy of Minas Gerais were generally depleted and most miners had lost hope, the sudden news of "gold! Gold in abundance in Piuí!" reignited the gold rush. Prospectors arrived from Tamanduá, São João, São José do Brumado, and other regions.
The ombudsman of the Rio das Mortes District immediately ordered the lord high guard of Passa Tempo to travel to Piuí to oversee the distribution of mining plots and prevent disputes. In March 1754, the ombudsman informed the São José del Rei Council about the new gold discovery, the influx of people already there, and those en route, suggesting that the council take possession of the land before the Pitangui Council did.
On 28 March 1754, in the home of José da Serra Caldeira, the representatives of the São José del Rei Council, bailiff Leandro de Arruda and Sergeant Major Francisco José Beserto, officially took possession of the Piuí mining site, bringing its settlers and districts under the authority of the São José village.
After the gold fever subsided, land grant requests continued, with various settlers establishing themselves.
By 1758, the settlement was thriving. According to multiple sources, a parish was established that year. However, documents show that Bishop Dom Frei José da Santíssima Trindade officially designated the São Roque chapel as subordinate to the Piuí parish in 1754, under the initiative of farmer Manoel Marques de Carvalho, who had founded the São Roque chapel. This parish was declared a royal chartered parish by decree on 26 January 1803. The first appointed vicar, in 1803, was Father Antônio Teles. Prior to that, the parish was served by appointed vicars; Cônego Trindade records the appointment of Father José Soares da Silva on 6 July 1773 as the vicar of the new discoveries of Piauim.
The parish was elevated to a village with municipal autonomy by Law No. 202 on 1 April 1841, separating it from the municipality of Formiga.
Law No. 1510 of 20 July 1868 elevated the village to city status.
Official symbols
According to Article 3 of the 2009 Organic Law, the official symbols of the municipality are the flag, the coat of arms, and the anthem, as in most Brazilian municipalities.Cinema
The Victor Agresta Cinematographic Screening Room has been operating since 2017.Geography
Location
Piumhi is located in the western mesoregion of the state of Minas Gerais, covering an area of 902 km2 at an altitude of 793 metres. It has a tropical climate, more precisely a tropical highland climate, with an average temperature of about 22 °C and Cerrado vegetation.It shares borders with the municipalities of Doresópolis, Bambuí, São Roque de Minas, Capitólio, Pimenta, Guapé, Pains, and Vargem Bonita.
Road access to Piumhi is possible via highways MG-439, MG-354, and its main road, MG-050, which crosses the region and connects the capital Belo Horizonte to the Ribeirão Preto region in the state of São Paulo. Piumhi is located roughly halfway between these two metropolitan areas, being 256 kilometres from Belo Horizonte and 265 kilometres from Ribeirão Preto.