Palmares (quilombo) - Women in Palmares

Women in Palmares

The overwhelming majority of enslaved people in the Portuguese colonies were male. This majority was also seen in the quilombos. For this reason Palmaristas were often sent on raiding missions in order to procure female citizens.

The smaller female population, and perhaps Amerindian cultural mores, gave rise to a system of polyandry. These polygamous wives ran their household and designated tasks for their husbands. The central importance of females in the quilombos stands in stark contrast to the patriarchal society experienced in the coastal colonies by their Portuguese counterparts.