Battle of the Canoes



The Battle of the Canoes (Batalha das Canoas), also known as the Battle of Guaixará (Batalha de Guaixará), was an unsuccessful French-Tamoio ambush against the Portuguese and their allies. Saint Sebastian was allegedly seen in the midst of the battle. This event is mentioned in the work Auto de São Lourenço by Joseph of Anchieta.

Account
recounted the battle at least 90 years after it occurred. According to him, it took place in July 1566. Advised by the French, the Tamoio Indians, with 180 war canoes, 100 of which were commanded by Guaixará, reportedly trapped a man named Francisco Velho, who had gone out to gather wood for the chapel of Saint Sebastian. Estácio de Sá had only four or five canoes to defend him. During the combat, the gunpowder on one of these canoes caught fire, frightening the wife of the leader of the opposing canoes, who called for the Indians to flee, which they did in disorder. The defeated Indians reportedly asked who was the gentleman soldier leaping among the canoes. Anchieta supposedly confirmed that it was Saint Sebastian. Some details of this narrative, such as the date of July 1566, the name Guaixará, and the occupation of Francisco Velho, appear to have been taken from a Latin manuscript currently in the archive of the Society of Jesus, written by Antônio de Matos between 1619 and 1621. was a scholar who had access to this document.

In popular culture
The episode is mentioned in the work Auto de São Lourenço, authored by Joseph of Anchieta. The lyrical subject in the following excerpt is Aimbirê.