This region is in the great Pantanal area, which the first explorers used to call Mar de Xaraés. The Kadiwéu indians, descent of the old Guaicuru tribe and the only knight warriors in Brazil, still live here. During the conflicts, they hid themselves in the horses’ side in order to delude their enemies, making them believe the horse had no rider.

The Guaicuru were courageous fighters who distinguished themselves by their leadership and strategy when in action. They helped the Portuguese to keep hold of Brazil during the 16th century, so that it would not be under Spanish dominion.

In the War of Paraguai (1864-1870), the longest armed conflict in South América, the Kadiwéu fought alongside with the Brazilians. For this reason, they had part of their lands recognized and today they live in the Terra Indígena (Indian Land) reserve in the Serra da Bodoquena.

The colonization of the lands near the mountains started only in the 1830s. However, it was only after the government implemented an agricultural colony in 1948 that, in 1950, the first colonizers settled where today we know as the Bodoquena town.

Bodoquena used to be a district of the city of Miranda and was called Campão until 1982 when it was emancipated and became Bodoquena, which in the Indian language means “Spring on the Mountain Ridge” "Nascente em cima da Serra".