Caramúru: Poema épico do descubrimento da Bahia

Caramuru: Poema épico do descobrimento da Bahia is an epic poem by José de Santa Rita Durão, published in 1781. It recounts the discovery of Bahia, a state in northeastern Brazil, by Diogo Álvares, who was given the indigenous name Caramuru. The poem is noted for its descriptions of Brazilian scenery and native life, and it expresses a love for Brazil.1

Written in ten cantos, Caramuru is a fictionalized account that draws inspiration from the Portuguese epic Os Lusíadas by Luís de Camões. The poem is considered an example of "nativism," a literary trend that glorified Brazil's flora and fauna, and it is seen as a precursor to Romantic Indianism in Brazilian literature. Durão was a pioneer in using South American indigenous peoples as literary subjects.12