The origins of caipira society date back to the 16th century, emerging as a consequence of the movement known as bandeirismo, undertaken by men with the objective of pioneering the unexplored territories of South America. According to the book Os parceiros do Rio Bonito by Antônio Candido, it was through the geographic expansion of the Paulistas, between the 16th and 18th centuries, that the initial characteristics of the colonizers evolved into a subcultural variant of the Portuguese lineage, designated as caipira culture.
The earliest forms of caipira society were sustained by a subsistence economy, coupled with techniques designed to balance the group's relationship with the environment, a characteristic derived from the cultural heritage received by the caipiras. Caipira social life preserved its origins through a fusion of Portuguese heritage and the traditions of the land's indigenous inhabitants, manifested in the semi-nomadic and adventurous lifestyle that shaped the settlement patterns, diet, and character of the Paulistas.[3] Thus, the bandeirismo movement, characterized by incessant mobility and shifting cultivation, came to define the gathering, hunting, and fishing activities of the caipira descendants from the 18th century onward.[4]
The successive adaptations undergone by the frontiersman during the era of the bandeirantes led the life of the early caipira to assimilate and preserve its nomadic and adventurous origins, fostering a fusion between Iberian and indigenous cultures. The nature of this semi-nomadic economy left its mark on the housing, cuisine, and character of the caipiras from São Paulo. From the 16th to the 18th century, this lifestyle, predominantly characterized by the isolation and rustic nature of rural existence, represented a closed economy focused on self-sufficiency and supported by neighborhood clusters, within which the accumulation of capital made no sense. Beginning in the 19th century, caipira culture witnessed the rise and consolidation of the capitalist economic model, driven by the Industrial Revolution, which contributed to profound transformations in the way of life of both urban and rural populations. This shift manifested the symptoms of the social and cultural crisis that society continues to experience to this day; consequently, the caipira of this second historical period underwent significant changes. First, as small-scale farmers could no longer fully provide for their own dietary needs, they were compelled to turn to commercial establishments in the local village, thus integrating into the urban commercial system and embracing the need for capital accumulation to acquire material goods and new technologies that facilitated agricultural labor, thus putting an end to the regime of self-sufficiency. Furthermore, caipira culture was characterized by a vibrant and significant recreational-religious life that played a central role within its social organization. Festivals and weekend church attendance fostered social interaction, distinguished by dietary and religious customs, a distinct dialect, and musical traditions highly unique to this group.
