The Tapuias Indians occupied the area of the present city of Recife around the year 1000 and were expelled towards the interior of the continent by the Tupi peoples originating from Amazonia.
When the Portuguese arrived in the region, in the 16th century, it was occupied by the people of the Tupi of the caetés (the caetés were an indigenous brazilian indigenous people whitch spoke tupi antique linguage who inhabited this brazilian coast between the island of Itamaraca and the river São Francisco in the 16th century.
Their territory was delimited to the north by the lands of the Potiguaras and, to the south, by those of the Tupinambás. The present municipality of Recife has its origin intimately linked to that of Olinda adjoining.

Olinda is a colonial town on Brazil’s northeast coast near the city of Recife.
Founded in 1535 by the Portuguese it’s built on steep hillsides and distinguished by its 18th-century architecture, baroque churches, convents, monasteries and brightly painted houses. It's now known as a place of art with many gallery ...