The Aweti, speakers of a Tupian language, live in the centre of the Upper Xingu region, between the Aruak groups to the west and south and the Carib groups to the east. Traditionally they played an important role among the Upper Xingu peoples as intermediaries in the circulation of news and wealth items and as hosts for travellers, but the catastrophic population loss experienced in the first decades of the 20th century, which almost led to their disappearance as a group, meant that their presence in the area became less visible. Undoubtedly, the Aweti comprise the least known of the Upper Xingu peoples and the same applies to their language. Following their demographic recovery, however, the Aweti are resuming much of their traditional cultural life and have looked to mark their presence in contemporary Upper Xingu society.

You can learn more about the Aweti at socioambiental.org