[2] In Brazil, the Macushi populations are located around northeastern Roraima, Rio Branco, Contingo, Quino, Pium and Mau rivers.

[5] Based on information provided by anthropologist Paulo Santilli for Instituto Socioambiental, the Macuxi people have faced adversity since the 18th century, due to the presence of non-indigenous groups.

[2] Located at the frontier of Brazil and Guyana, generations have been forced to migrate from their territory due to the establishment of Portuguese settlements, the influx of extractivists (who came for the rubber) and developers (who came to extract metals and precious stones), and more recently, the insurgence of “grileiros” that counterfeit land titles in order to take over and sell the land.

Towards the last decades of the 19th century, as the rubber industry boomed and local administration obtained autonomy, the regionals, referring to the merchants and extractivists, advanced the colonial expansion.

In the 1970s, Macushi political leaders started to step up, acting as mediators between their indigenous community members as well as the agents of national society.

[7] saki-naŋtwo-NOM-PLa’anaicornstalkyepuupîskinimî-rîî-seŋripe-DET-NOMsaki-naŋ a’anai yepuupî imî-rîî-seŋtwo-NOM-PL cornstalk skin ripe-DET-NOM‘Two ears of corn are ripe.’saakrîrî-on-koŋfour-NOM-POSS-PLma-nithosekanoŋguavasaakrîrî-on-koŋ ma-ni kanoŋfour-NOM-POSS-PL those guava'Those four guavas.According to Carson, the native numeral system in Macushi is not adequate to express large numbers.