This day serves as a reminder of the day when the 1st Inter-American Indigenous Congress was held in Patzcuaro, Mexico, in 1940, and the native peoples of Mexico, Panama, Chile, and the USA took part in the debates competent to their lands and development.

It was President Getúlio Vargas who, in 1943, stated that this day shall be commemorated and observed for such cultural means, and it has occasionally extended to be the 'Week of the Indigenous'.

this day is dedicated to uplifting the customs and the identity of the very first Brazilians, by carrying out diverse representations of the native idiosyncrasy, such as indigenous dances and music, highlighting the respect that must be given to their invaluable traditions.