An Indigenous guide with Maryano Maya

This is the vibe of Sampa, a nickname for this hustle and bustling city. People come here for work, but come back with so much more. You can find people from any kind of region, which makes it a very diverse community and super creative at the same time. Here I am sharing with you my top São Paolo's guide to explore deeper the Black and Indigenous community here.

Avenida Paulista

View place  - Notable Street in São Paulo

“It’s the most important avenue in the city, you can find every culture there. People selling all kinds of stuff. Big stores. Restaurants. Live performances. This avenue also happens to be the place for some of Brazil’s biggest demonstrations.”

Kingston Club SP

View place - Nightclub in São Paulo

“It’s a great place to network in the creative industry, its just natural & casual. This was the spot where I found people to model with, we ended up working with the same agency. It’s an amazing place to go for dancehall, which is a type of uptempo reggae but just with more dancing, which makes it very Brazilian.”

Restaurante Cultura Veg

View place - Restaurant in São Paulo

“I made friends with the Chef, who is from Mali. He invited me to go try their moqueca made of Banana. I also usually take my modeling friend, who’s now on Vogue and very famous there. Now, she wants to go there everyday. Even people with high standards, they really enjoy it there.”

Casa Preta Hub

View place - Cultural Center, Business Center in São Paulo

“Get productive and bring your laptop for a day here to work. This place is very personal because I arrived in Sao Paulo without work, unemployed, many times hungry, and the Casa Preta team received me well. They took care of me, it’s another safe haven for BIPOC. They have a coworking, photography studio ran by Meta, and you’ll probably find me there.”

Jaraguá

View place - Area in São Paulo

“This is where the Guarani tribe settles, it’s like an indigenouse city within São Paulo. It’s indeed Brazil’s smallest indigenouse reserve. I will go there soon and learn about their rising Biojewelry craft. It’s truly a place to learn more about indigenouse lifestyle without having to go far.”

Praça Kantuta

View place - Plaza in São Paulo

“This a fair where Bolivian communities meet, also people from Peru and the Andes region. They make a big parade with music, amazing instruments, and great food. I went once, and it happens on weekends. Come late mornings like 10am.”

Aparelha Luzia

View place - Cultural Center in São Paulo

“I go there every other week. It’s a quilombo, which is a BIPOC safe haven for people to seek peace and spirituality of their ancestors. You go inside, don’t need to pay anything, and you’ll find caipirinha and listen to samba music. People hangout on the streets around it.”

República

View place - Neighborhood in São Paulo

“Imagine if you arrive at Republica, and then you go through a street, and there is a lot of music, samba, and many groups, and then suddenly they start rap battling. Ask around people how to get there.”

Featuring Maryano Maya

Brazilian Indigenous Model turned Activist

Maryano kickstarted his modelling career with a mission to promote his Indigenous roots. He now represents some of the biggest fashion brands in Brazil, and uses his platform and travel agenda to empower his community all over the country. After spending some years abroad, he is now happy to call Rio home once again.

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