European colonizers, in 1541, claimed to have encountered a tribe of warrior women Indigenous, called Icamiabas, with whom they had fought.
After the European colonizers had to retreat following the attack with blowgun and archery when entered in their territory, so associated the girls with the Amazons of Greek mythology, thus naming the place "River of the Amazons", today called "River Amazon " (but it was previously called Paraná-Assú by the indigenous people of old, meaning 'large similar to the sea'. Really, it's the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world).
Because of this, not only is the river today called the Amazon River, but this became the name of that Brazilian state (Amazonas), once the location of the legend, and also where the name of the largest tropical forest in the world derived from: Amazon Forest.
Legend has it that Icamiabas it was a nation of women, made up of a matriarchal society, characterized by female warriors who lived without men.
Once a year, some of the girls willingly welcomed men from other tribes during the "Festa de Iaci" ('Festival of the Moon') according to which, in order to procreate, at the end the womans dived into the river where took a green material to carve a muiraquitã*, which they gave to men (*a traditional indigenous amulet related to the Icamiabas, it was symbols of power, status and honor, and also as material for purchasing and exchanging others valuable objects).
After the festival, the Brazilian Amazons lived alone again. The girls babies born from these unions remained with the 'Amazons/Icamiabas', while the boys were perhaps given to the men with the amulet in the following year, but some darker versions of the legend believe that they killed male babies.
It received the status of a legend, because beyond the European and Indigenous report, it is not really known whether they existed and there is controversy, among those who believe and do not believe in the existence of these womans.
<< ICAMIABAS >> . As lendárias índias guerreiras do norte do Brasil que comparadas à mitologia grega deram nome ao rio e a toda região: AMAZÔNIA. Viviam em sociedade matriarcal sem apresenta de homens, como constam em relatos históricos e na crença de diversas outras tribos da região. Mulheres símbolo de coragem, força e luta. . The legendary Indian warriors of the north of Brazil who compare to the Greek mythology gave name to the river and the region of Amazon. They lived in a matriarchal society without any men as per historical and other tribes accounts. These women are symbol of courage, strength and struggle. . #amazoniavive #icamiabas #amazonia #amazonas #amazon #funai #indigena #tupi #joeniawapichana #soniaguajajara #aruakbaniwa #apurina #levanteindigena #tatuagem #tatuagemindigena #tatuagembrasileira #brasiliatattoofestival #tatuagemcontemporanea #tattrx #stabmegod #lovettt #tttism #dsrupttt #taiomvct (em Funai) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsYnVy0ld9S/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1j6vu01lfu5m1
Disclaimer: I'm not indigenous or Brazilian. My goal with this post/this version of the worldbuilding in my google docs is to make the Esquecida less inconsiderate of the real-world culture they're based on, so please let me know what I might have gotten wrong/what's racist or insensitive
Starting off with this: "Esquecida" is the Amazon/Themysciran and Bana-Mighdall name for these people, but they call themselves the Icamiabas
Centuries ago, a young Guarani woman named Porâsý defeated one of the world's Legendary Monsters through trickery, rallying her entire tribe to storm the beast. Before it could be killed, she was abandoned by her people and her brother, left to die from her injuries. Jaci, the powerful goddess of the moon, took mercy on her and saved her life by gifting her immortality. Porâsý chose not to return to her people and instead lived in many different places across the Amazon, worshipping Jaci.
Years later, a Themysciran Amazon named Lysithea decided that she no longer wanted to live on the island. She traveled across the world, intentionally keeping a low profile - made easier by the fact that she lost her Amazonian powers when she left Themyscira. She eventually found her way to uncolonized Brazil, where she was attacked by a Legendary Monster. Porâsý came to her defense, as she had made it her mission to defend innocents from the monsters. After their victory the women began to talk and share stories. Learning of Porâsý's history and missing her own home, Lysithea begged to be introduced to her goddess. Through many other acts of bravery, Lysithea was able to prove herself and be granted the same powers as Porâsý from their now shared patron.
Porâsý and Lysithea grew very close, seeing each other as partners in every sense of the word. As time went on, they slowly added more and more women to their growing community. Porâsý would accept any woman who was outcast or abandoned, but that woman would need Jaci's blessing to be granted immortality. The most common way to earn this blessing was through battle, a sure-fire way to prove yourself as worthy of eternal life.
The Esquecida eventually became a bit of a legend for Theymscirans. Everyone knew that Lysithea had left for man's world, though they were extremely concerned when she never came back. A few other women left to look for her - two of them found her, staying with the Icamiabas, while another three never found her. Only one of them found the Icamiabas and returned to tell the story to the Themyscirans, from which the story only grew. For centuries, a few Amazons with the travel-bug would leave to travel the world in search specifically of the Esquecida. Though for the Icamiabas to be truly revealed, the Amazon would need to be acknowledged and accepted by Jaci, at which point the goddess would not allow them to leave with their memories fully intact. After centuries of development of their culture, Jaci grew to only accept the defeat of an evil man or monster as worthy proof of her blessing and patronage.
As time went on, fewer and fewer Amazons left for the Esquecida. Since only one had ever returned, many assumed that after the women left they met their end somewhere on their journey. The idea of the Esquecida drifted into legend, a story for people fresh from the well of souls, or children in Bana-Mighdall.
The home of the Icamiabas is a city called Akahim. It's beneath the waters of Iguazu Falls, protected by the spirit of Naipi. She was once a young woman who was forcefully engaged to the god M'Boi and ran from him to change her fate, though before she could escape M'Boi, he changed her into a waterfall to trap her. Angry at her eternal fate, Naipi would kill anyone who fell into her waters and often reached out intentionally to swallow cruel men whole. Learning what the Icamiabas prioritized, she was more than willing to allow them shelter beneath her waters. Jaci granted them a home, and they settled permanently.
Porâsý is the Queen of the Icamiabas, with Lysithea as her advisor. The Icamiabas are divorced from the Greek pantheon almost entirely, which is a major point of conflict between them and their fellow Amazons when they reconnect. While those of Bana-Mighdall praise Egyptian gods, they still acknowledge and respect the Greeks, while the Icamiabas have turned completely to the Brazilian gods.
Para não deixar passar em Branco o Dia do Índio, que tal uma animação Brasileira? Baseada na Lenda de uma tribo de Mulheres Indígenas Guerreiras da Amazônia este desenho conta estórias destas quatro Jovens Luna, Laci, Conori e Thyhi em batalhas protegendo os humanos de monstros a seres magicos do nosso Folclore. #DiaDoIndio #Icamiabas #IluminurasEstudio #AnimaçaoBrasileira https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3mSQ_gEPZ/?igshid=1p9tty5a64bao
