Paquetá Island

Paquetá Island

Paquetá Island (Portuguese: Ilha de Paquetá) is an island in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. The name of the island is a Tupi word meaning "many pacas". The island is an auto-free zone, so travel is limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. Paquetá has twenty baobabs, a type of African tree - the only ones in Brazil beside the Baobá in Passeio Público in Fortaleza. One of the trees is called "Maria Gorda" (Maria, the Fatty), which residents kiss for luck.

History

Up to the end of the 15th century, the Tamoio Indians used Paquetá as hunting and living grounds. It was officially registered by the Frenchman André Thevet in December 1555, and acknowledged by King Henri II as a French discovery in 1556. Together with Paranapuã Island (now called Governador Island), Paquetá was one of the main centers of French resistance to Portuguese occupation. While the French had the Tamoios as their allies, the Temiminós Indians led by Araribóia supported the Portuguese.

The Portuguese victory was consolidated with the expulsion of the French and the defeat of the Tamoios. Paquetá was then divided into two allotments assigned to settlers; the one now called Campo was given to Inácio de Bulhões and the Ponte area to Fernão Valdez. Even today the characteristics of this division between Campo and Ponte are conspicuously present in the Island's festivities, in football matches and in the parade of dancing and singing groups during Carnival.

Under Portuguese rule, Paquetá produced vegetables, fruits, stone and timber for construction. Aristocratic land and slave owners occupied the island. Nowadays Paquetá presents a residential and touristy profile due to its cultural roots, its scenery and location.

Traditional events

Saint Roque Festival, in honor of the Island's patron saint, is held along the week or on the weekend nearest to August 16 when the mass for Saint Roque is celebrated.
Saint Peter Festival, in honor of the patron saint of fishermen who keep the traditional maritime procession on June 29.

External links

Rio de Janeiro city neighbourhoods

Central Region	Benfica Caju Catumbi Centro Cidade Nova Estácio Gamboa Imperial de São Cristóvão Gamboa Lapa Mangueira Paquetá Rio Comprido Santa Teresa Santo Cristo Saúde Vasco da Gama

South Zone	Botafogo Catete Copacabana Cosme Velho Flamengo Gávea Glória Humaitá Ipanema Jardim Botânico Lagoa Laranjeiras Leblon Leme Rocinha São Conrado Urca Vidigal

North Zone	Abolição Acari Água Santa Alto da Boa Vista Anchieta Andaraí Bancários Barros Filho Bento Ribeiro Bonsucesso Brás de Pina Cachambi Cacuia Cavalcanti Campinho Cascadura Cidade Universitária Cocotá Coelho Neto Colégio Complexo do Alemão Cordovil Costa Barros Del Castilho Encantado Engenheiro Leal Engenho da Rainha Engenho de Dentro Engenho Novo Freguesia (Ilha do Governador) Galeão Grajaú Guadalupe Higienópolis Honório Gurgel Irajá Inhaúma Jacaré Jacarezinho Jardim América Jardim Carioca Jardim Guanabara Lins de Vasconcelos Madureira Manguinhos Maracanã Maré Marechal Hermes Maria da Graça Méier Moneró Olaria Oswaldo Cruz Parada de Lucas Parque Anchieta Parque Colúmbia Pavuna Penha Penha Circular Piedade Pilares Pitangueiras Praça da Bandeira Praia da Bandeira Portuguesa Quintino Bocaíuva Ramos Riachuelo Ribeira Ricardo de Albuquerque Rocha Rocha Miranda Sampaio São Francisco Xavier Tauá Tijuca Todos os Santos Tomás Coelho Turiaçu Vaz Lobo Vicente de Carvalho Vigário Geral Vila Cosmos Vila da Penha Vila Isabel Vista Alegre Zumbi

West Zone	Anil Bangu Barra da Tijuca Barra de Guaratiba Camorim Campo dos Afonsos Campo Grande Cidade de Deus Cosmos Curicica Deodoro Freguesia (Jacarepaguá) Gardênia Azul Gericinó Grumari Guaratiba Inhoaíba Itanhangá Jacarepaguá Jardim Sulacap Joá Magalhães Bastos Paciência Padre Miguel Pedra de Guaratiba Praça Seca Pechincha Realengo Recreio dos Bandeirantes Santa Cruz Santíssimo Senador Camará Senador Vasconcelos Sepetiba Tanque Taquara Vargem Grande Vargem Pequena Vila Militar Vila Valqueire

Islands	Ilha do Fundão Ilha do Governador Paquetá Villegaignon

Favelas	Complexo do Alemão Morro da Babilônia Dona Marta Jacarezinho Mangueira Manguinhos Maré Rocinha Tavares Bastos Vidigal Vila Vintém

Unofficial	Aldeia Campista Arpoador Bairro Araújo Bairro Peixoto Boca do Mato Buraco do Padre Castelo Colônia Consolação Dadur Distrito Industrial Bairro de Fátima Fazenda Botafogo Fazenda da Bica Fonte da Saudade Horto Jabour Jardim Boiúna Jardim Oceânico Largo do Machado Manguariba Mallet Mariópolis Mato Alto Muda Península Praça do Carmo Providência Rio das Pedras Rio Grande Silvestre Terreirão do Rio Bonito Triagem Usina Vila Aliança Vila Kennedy Village

Coordinates: 22°45′35″S 43°06′32″W / 22.75972°S 43.10889°W / -22.75972; -43.10889

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