Maria Anastasia de Souza

A Brazilian educator and advocate for indigenous rights who pioneered bilingual education in the Amazon region during the 19th century

Maria Anastasia de Souza (1825-1898) emerged as a transformative figure in Brazilian education during the mid-19th century. Born in Belém, Pará, she became one of the first women to establish schools in the Amazon region that specifically catered to Indigenous communities. Her work laid the foundation for bilingual education programs that preserved native languages while integrating Portuguese literacy.

De Souza's most significant contribution was the creation of the Escola dos Povos (School of Peoples) in 1857, which combined traditional Indigenous knowledge with formal education. This institution became a model for later initiatives across the Amazon basin. She also authored the first primer for Indigenous students, Letras da Terra, which blended Portuguese syllabaries with Tupi-Guarani vocabulary.

Her advocacy led to the 1870 Imperial Decree that mandated bilingual education in all frontier regions. Modern scholars credit her work with preventing the cultural erosion of Indigenous groups like the Tupinambá and Kayapó. A digital archive of her writings is maintained by the Museu da Floresta in Santarém, Brazil.