Atibaia

Atibaia (or Estância de Atibaia) is a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The name is derived from an indigenous language called Tupi, and means "healthy water river". Its name has changed over time, from the primitive Tupi word Tybaia, to Thibaia, Atubaia, Thibaya, and finally the city's modern name, Atibaia.

Its strawberry crops are well known. These crops are cultivated mainly by Japanese descendants, since the city was a common Japanese immigrant center.

History

In 1665, Jerônimo de Camargo and his expedition found a hill near a river named Tubaia (later called Atibaia River). Jerônimo de Camargo was a Bandeirante explorer. Their main objective was to search the interior lands of Brazil for rich mineral resources, such as gold, silver and emeralds in present-day state of Minas Gerais.

Camargo had his men build a chapel by the Tubaia river, which served as shelter to "tropeiros"—interior explorers on horse back—as well. The area was already occupied by Mateus Nunes da Siqueira, a priest who established contact with the Guarulhos tribe.