The indigenous tribes of the Amazon and Xingu River basins in northern Brazil carve benches from single pieces of wood. These unique sculptural works adopt both animal and functional forms and are covered in distinctive geometric patterns. Benches were cultural and social symbols within indigenous communities, closely connected to tribes’ ways of life, traditions, and distinct mythologies, and functioned as objects for everyday use or carrying ceremonial significance on special occasions such as shaman ceremonies or the celebration of weddings. Today, tribal artists unconstrained by function or tradition are creating even more diverse and free-ranging expressions, as indigenous people absorb influences from the outside world and seek their own identity in their view of nature.