The Guarani
The relationship between the Guarani and the Jesuits sought to benefit both sides by allowing the Jesuits to grow their missionary presence in the region and giving the Guarani protections against enslavement. This relationship impacted the Guarani in the years after the Jesuit expulsion. The Guarani left the missions but some of them didn't go back to the forest or traditional ways. Instead they became what was called "Civilized Indians". Catholics and educated, the Guarani used the knowledge they learned from the Jesuits and became citizens working in various professions. When Jean Baptiste Debret came to Brazil in early 19th century, he encountered and painted numerous Guarani in Rio de Janeiro and the Southeast regions. Debret painted "Merchants in a Street", "A Soldier with two well dressed ladies", "A Wine producer", and "A Rich lady and her servant going to the Church". Debret's depicted wealthy Guarani living in Rio when the Portuguese Royal Family resided there and it was the capital of the Portuguese Empire. This shows that they influenced and participated in the formation of Brazil as an empire and later as a nation. But their identity as Guarani has been lost with time and forgotten by its descendants after generations.