Kaiowá
/kaj.oˈwa/noun
A Guarani-speaking Indigenous people of Brazil, especially Mato Grosso do Sul, and their language.
Did you know?Kaiowá is often grouped with the broader Guarani world, but many Kaiowá people identify specifically as Paĩ Tavyterã, showing why colonial labels can simplify distinct Indigenous identities.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Guarani
Paĩ Tavyterã
“A traditional self-designation associated with the people later widely called Kaiowá.”
16th–17th centuries
Spanish/Portuguese records
Cayová / Caiová
“Early colonial spellings used for a Guarani-speaking population in the Paraguay–southern Brazil region.”
19th century
Portuguese
Kaiowá / Caiuá
“Portuguese ethnonyms applied to the group, with spelling varying among writers and administrative records.”
20th century
Portuguese and Guarani
Kaiowá
“The spelling became widely established in Brazilian scholarship, administration, and Indigenous-rights contexts.”
Modern English
English
Kaiowá
“A standard English-form proper noun for the people and their language; the exact internal literal meaning of the ethnonym remains debated.”