The exciting story of the açaí legend

The legend of açaí is a indigenous legend which originates from North region of Brazil.

Legend has it that, in this region, there was a tribe whose number of inhabitants was quite high.

For this reason, each day it was becoming more difficult to get enough supplies to feed everyone.

This indigenous tribe lived in what is now the city of Bethlehem, in the state of For.

to Brazil map — Location of Pará on the map of Brazil

Itaki, then chief of the tribe, was forced to make a somewhat radical decision that left everyone worried and shocked.

As a way to control the number of inhabitants, the chief decided that all children born after a certain date should be sacrificed. For him, this would be a way to contain the population increase of his tribe.

One day, the drastic measure affected Itaki's own family. His daughter Iaçã gave birth to a child who soon had to be sacrificed to enforce his grandfather's decisions.

Iaçã suffered too much with the death of her little daughter. It is said that she spent days and days without leaving her hut, suffering and crying nonstop for days and nights.

instagram story viewer

So, Iaçã raised her thoughts to Tupã, an indigenous deity, and asked him to make her father find another way to resolve the issue of food provision, without the sacrifice of kids.

Tupã was very touched by the Indian's pain and decided that he would help Itaki find another solution to the tribe's problem.

It was then that, one day, Iaçã heard a child's cry coming from outside his hut. On his way out, to his surprise and happiness, he saw his little girl beside a palm tree.

Iaçã ran towards her and hugged the girl who, mysteriously, disappeared into her mother's arms.

Once again inconsolable, Iaçã cried so much during the night that he lost his strength and ended up dying.

The body of Itaki's daughter was found the next morning, hugging the palm tree. Iaçã had a serene countenance and seemed to smile slightly. His eyes were open and directed to the top of the tree.

Looking at the palm tree, Itaki noticed that where Iaçã's eyes were directed, there was a small dark fruit. It was açaí.

The chief then ordered that all the fruits be harvested. With these fruits, a reddish and very thick juice was made, which fed the tribe's population and ended the food shortage.

Origin of the name of the fruit according to legend

It is said that the name of the fruit was a tribute that the chief paid to his daughter.

The leafy tree and its fruit were named açaí, what is iacion instead.

Since then, açaí has been used as food for the entire tribe of the chief Itaki and this caused him to suspend the his order to sacrifice the children born to control population growth and the consequent scarcity of foods.

india açaí — India feeding her child acai pulp

Curiosities about açaí

Açaí is a dark purple edible fruit, consisting of a small, round-shaped berry that grows on a palm tree up to 30 meters tall.

Did you know that açaí can be used in both savory and sweet dishes? Açaí consumption in Brazil can vary greatly from region to region.

O All Matter selected some of the main ways of consuming the fruit in Brazil. Check out!

Açaí in the North and Northeast

In the North and Northeast of Brazil, açaí is usually consumed with cassava flour or tapioca flour.

The fruit is also used to prepare a kind of mush to accompany fish and/or shrimp dishes.

In addition, it is also customary to use açaí to make a kind of puree that accompanies jerked beef and jerky meat farofa.

açaí manioc flour — Açaí with manioc flour

Açaí with jerky — Açaí with fried beef jerky

To enrich your knowledge about the cultures of the north and northeast of Brazil, be sure to read the contents below:

Northern Culture
Northeast culture

Açaí in the Midwest, Southeast and South

In the Midwest, Southeast and South regions of Brazil, açaí is usually consumed mixed with sugar syrup. guarana, granola, fruits, condensed milk, jujube, peanuts, powdered milk, ice cream and paçoca syrup, among others.