History and economy

The coast of the lower Vale do Ribeira was inhabited by semi-nomadic tribes who dedicated themselves to hunting, fishing, and periodic cultivation of "mandioca" (a starchy root that is a staple food in many areas of Brazil). These tribes had their first contact with the outside world when explorers and colonizers arrived at the beginning of the 16th century, the most notorious of which was Martim Afonso de Sousa who led an expedition of 80 men into the interior of São Paulo in search of gold and silver.