Maria Paschoalina de Castro was born in Conceição do Rio Verde, Minas Gerais, Brazil, on 2 May 1911 (claimed 5 April). She is of Native American descent. Her parents were either freed slaves or children of freed slaves. She had three siblings, and her parents resided in Valinhos, a locality near Conceição do Rio Verde.

At some point, she got married and had 13 children. Her husband passed away around 1959.

Even at the age of 97, she retained the ability to perform household tasks such as washing clothes, cooking, and washing dishes, among other duties. She is deeply devout, with a strong religious connection to Nossa Senhora Aparecida. At the age of 107, five of her children were still living, and she had 22 grandchildren, and an unspecified number of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She is known as “Ia” by her relatives and friends.