The Matis consist more than 450 people. They live in an Indigenous Land called Vale do Javari. This is in the state of Amazonas. They speak a language which belongs to the Pano linguistic branch. They all call themselves mushabo (‘tattooed people’) or wanibo (‘people of the pupunha palm tree’). This is because they have tattoos on their faces made with thorns from pupunha palm trees. These tattoos are marks of belonging to the group.