Xirú Missioneiro, born Haunã Taraguy Pereira Souza on December 22, 1965, was a
Brazilian singer, accordionist and songwriter of música nativista gaúcha who
became a key voice of Rio Grande do Sul’s rural tradition. Born in São Luiz
Gonzaga, Rio Grande do Sul, he grew up in the countryside, worked as a ranch
hand and horse breaker, and taught himself to play guitar and the eight-bass
button accordion before entering regional song festivals in the 1980s. His
reputation grew on the nativist circuit after performing pieces like “Canto
Alegretense,” which opened doors to professional ...