History and Culture

Santa Helena was founded on the right bank of the Rio Turiaçu; the early settlement was an Indigenous village called Laranjal. This origin gives the town a clear historical connection to the river. The Rio Turiaçu also features in other local topics, from the archaeological site within the municipality to traditional fishing practices.

A distinctive cultural landmark is the Tupinambaranas dance, created in Santa Helena in 2002. Its origins add the town’s own cultural development to the history of its early settlement. At a cultural evening in Santa Helena in October 2017, rounds of Tambor de crioula, Forró de caixa, and other local cultural performances were held. These examples offer different perspectives: a specifically named dance form on the one hand, and an evening featuring several local performances on the other.

Festivals and community gatherings are also part of the town’s cultural life. Santa Helena was one of 26 municipalities included in the state-supported Divino Maranhão project for the celebrations of Divino Espírito Santo. The project, launched in 2010, involved more than 165 festival participants. A municipal post dated April 14, 2025, describes the traditional Torneio de Domingo de Ramos at Beira Rio as a cultural and sporting gathering. Together, these examples present a cross-municipal festival project alongside a locally rooted cultural and sporting event.

Another gathering was the Feira da Agricultura Familiar at the Mercado Central in Santa Helena. In July 2019, it reached its 30th edition and brought together small farmers, fishers, and consumers. Unlike the Torneio, its focus was on exchange between these groups. Together, these examples show different aspects of community life: festivals, culture, and sport, as well as opportunities for producers, fishers, and consumers to meet.

Rio Turiaçu, Archaeology, and Local Cuisine

The Boca do Rio archaeological site is located on a branch of the Rio Turiaçu in the municipality of Santa Helena. It covers one hectare; about 1,150 wooden stakes remain at the bottom of its riverbed. This archaeological site by the river adds another historical landmark within the municipality to the story of the early settlement on the right bank.

Traditional fishing practices also connect Santa Helena with the Rio Turiaçu. These include salting and drying fish. A study published in 2021 describes these practices as having been passed down through generations and as being part of the social and economic life of the municipality’s traditional fishers. Alongside the archaeological remains, this also highlights the river’s importance to work and community life.

Santa Helena’s local cuisine features fish from the Turi and free-range chicken raised by residents of riverside communities. These ingredients add a culinary connection to the river and riverside communities to the picture of its fishing traditions.

Discover more destinations: Praia, Alto Parnaíba, Vargem Grande, São Luís, Senador La Rocque, Barreirinhas, Buriti, Mangunça.

For the main travel overview: Maranhão.