The Tietê River cuts through most of the state of São Paulo.
It’s name in Tupi means “true waters”, but before it first
appeared on a map in the mid-18th century, it was known by
Amerindians as Anhembi (after a South American partridge). The
river itself is said to be ten to fifteen million years old and
has been used in the past by Amerindians, Bandeirantes (slave-
hunters, and later miners, of the 16th-18th centuries), and
clergymen. Historically, the Tietê has been used and abused more
than it has been merely traversed. During the 18th century, it
was used for mining exploration and sugar production, with the
color of the water being altered and the margins of the river
being deforested. By the early 20th century, a large number of
enterprises were regularly tossing their waste into the part of
the river around São Paulo’s capital until it reached its
current state. Today, it’s known for its bad smell, sewage, and
flies but if the São Paulo’s current governor has his way, by
2015 the Tietê will be nice-smel