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Stone Spheres
Indigenous Peoples in Costa Rica
Problems | Indigenous Law of 1977 | Indigenous People in
Central America | Stone Spheres
Costa Rica never had a thriving indigenous culture such as the empires
of the Mayan, Aztec or Inka people. The native people were culturally
influenced by Mesoamerican tribes from Central America and cultures
from northern South America (mostly today's Colombia). Most
indigenous groups lived on simple subsistence economy and were
ruled by a chief called "cacique". When the Spaniards arrived,
many tribes moved back into the mountains in order to avoid
slavery and taxation by the Spaniards.
Costa Rican indian culture did not leave many artifacts behind – most
are simple products like pottery and ornaments. Most prominent are
the stone spheres (see picture to the right) that were found in the
country´s South (area of the Térraba river around Palmar Sur/Palmar
Norte). Some of theses spheres weigh up to 15 tons and it is
unclear how they were manufactured and transported as well as what
they were intended for.
The decimation of the indigenous of Costa Rica was due mostly to
diseases, rather than targeted genocide (as happened in other Latin
American countries, most prominently Guatemala and El Salvador).
Today, there are only about 64'000 indigenous people living in
Costa Rica (around 1.7% of the population), mostly living in remote
mountain zones.
Indigenous People in
Costa Rica:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gutatusos/Malekus
Chorotegas
Huetares
Cabecares
Bribri
Terrabas (Teribes)
Borucas (Bruncas)
Guaymies
Are you interested in visiting some indigenous villag
Contact us and ask for further information.
We can organise tours to visit the indigenous Brib
Costa Rica.
Fundamental problems affecting indigenous
peoples of Costa Rica
The increasing loss of territories is the major problem faced by
indigenous peoples and it is the source of other difficulties such as
the creation of educational systems and political ideologies. Eventually,
everything about their cultural identity is affected by changes of
culture, economy and politics. Traditional practices continue to be
deplored, even persecuted, as is the case for traditional medicine,
indigenous religious beliefs and social customs. Slowly, their original
languages and cultures are being taught in local schools, but there is a
long way to go until they reach full cultural independence.
The Indigenous
imposition
Law
of
1977
and
its
The indigenous law of 1977 was established to curtail the loss
of land of the indigenous population. Indigenous people were
unsufficiently educated (with a high percentage of illiteracy) and
subsisted mainly on agriculture, thereby being strongly dependent on
fluctuations of the market. A bad harvest could mean the loss of all
resources. That way, their land was sold step by step to the mestizo
population of mainly European descendance.
Here is an example of how this worked: An indigenous farmer has
no money and buys seeds and food on credit from a latino merchant in
town. If the harvest is poor, the farmer is insolvent and pawns his land
to the merchant. That way, the indigenous people were virtually
disappropriated step by step. The indigenous law was established to
stop these processes.
Inside the Indigenous Law:
• Article 3 of the indigenous law (Nr. 6172) states that land property
in indigenous reserves is only allowed for people with indigenous
provencance. Land property can only be traded amongst indios
and all transactions that occured prior to the law, become void.
• Article 9 declares that land on indigenous reserves must be
transferred to the indigenous communities. But today (in 2010),
a large part of the land is still populated by up to 80% of nonindigenous inhabitants.
• Article 5 stipulates that non-indigenous persons who have land in
native reserves or would be "owners in good faith" in these
reserves, will be compensated in return for surrendering the
lands that are reserved exclusively for natives. This text is not
always applied, because the inidgenous population did rarely
enforce the expropriation (due to misinformation or because
they were advised against it).
A Problem of the law is that it restricts the economic
independence, since no official land property is possible within the
reserves. The original idea was to preserve the land. But the downside
is that it makes indigenous areas unattractive for investors, as they
are not interested in investing money into something they have no
control over. But since the indigenous population has little resources,
they have no way of raising funds (as long as they don't get statesupported credits).
Further, despite of establishing this law over 30 years ago, most of the
concessions made, remained lip services on the paper. The population
is still discriminated, and when the government chooses to build a
power plant (like the Diquí project) the opinion of the indigenous
people is vastly ignored.
• Here is the law's original legal text.
Back to top
Indigenous People in Costa Rica:
People from Macrochibcha ethnic
(from northern South America)
origin
Many studies on the subject consider the Bribri and Cabécares as part
of the same ethnicity. They share the same religious belief in Sibo as
supreme God and creator of the universe. While parts of the Bribri
tribe live the lowland areas of the Cordillera de Talamanca, the
Cabecarés are isolated in the mountains of the Cordillera. They are
less influenced by the progress than the Bribri and maintain a complex
clan system.
Cabecares
There are around 10'000 Cabecares, who still preserve their language,
natural medicine and patrimonial culture (caciques are allowed to
marry several women). They have a rich corpus of stories and legends,
some of which are written down in Spanish and the Cabécar language.
• Location: Southern Atlantic Coast, Limón province, Chirripó
(Pacuare valley), valley of the Rio Estrella and the Talamanca
reserve. Ujarrás de Buenos Aires and China Kichá.
• Cultural Identity: This is probably the indigenous group with the
most distinct cultural identity. The original Cabécar language is
still spoken next to Spanish. The Cabécares have retained many
of their customs and traditions and clan ties are still very tight.
• Activities: agriculture (coffee, cocoa and bananas), bird hunting
and fishing.
It's possible to visit areas where Cabecar Indians still live in their
traditional way. Contact us to find out about such excursions.
Bribri
• Location: Southern Pacific: Puntarenas province, indigenous
reservations of Salitre and Cabagra in the Canton of Buenos
Aires. Southern Atlantic: Limón province, indigenous reservation
of Talamanca.
• Cultural Identity: The Bribri retained their spoken language and
use the Latin alphabet and a number of additional characters for
phonetic transcription in writing.
• Activities: Agriculture (cocoa, bananas, corn, beans), pig breeding,
bird hunting.
Crafts: basket weaving and manufacture of
musical instruments with natural materials, fabrics and fiber with
natural pigments. To cross the river Sixaola on the border of
Panama, they use dugout boats and rafts.
Terrabas (or Teribes)
Today there are hardly only few Térrabas in Costa Rica.
• Location: Canton of Buenos Aires in the Reserve of Boruca-Térraba.
• Cultural Identity: although this ethnic group has preserved its
cultural identity, the original language Terraba no longer spoken
today.
• Activities: Agriculture (corn, beans, rice, bananas, citrus fruit).
Today their territory is populated by many non-indigenous
peasants.
Borucas (or Bruncas)
The indigenous Borucas of Costa Rica are still in close touch with their
ancestral traditions, as expressed by their legends, dance and crafts.
They are particularly known for the “Fiesta de los Diablitos”, a 3-day
festival taking place from December 30 to January 2.
During the festivity, fights between the
devils) and the Spanish Conquistadores
Borucas use wooden masks and drink
(chicha is a fermented alcoholic beverage,
native Boruca indians (the
(the bull) are staged. The
lots of home-made chicha
derived from maize).
•
• Location: Canton of Buenos Aires; their indigenous reservation
consists of several communities (El Centro de Boruca, Rey Curré,
Changuena, Maíz and Bijagua)
• Cultural Identity: The Borucas are particularly known for their
elaborate handicrafts, most of all the masks that are made for
the fiesta de los Diablitos.
• Activities: Agriculture (crops, livestock).
Crafts: cotton-based
fabrics, natural colors for dyeing, manufactures of wooden
masks used in "Fiesta de los Diablitos".
We organise tours to the village of Borucas, where you can learn more
about the local culture, arts & crafts. Contact us for more
information.
Guaymies
Guaymies are the largest surviving native people in Costa Rica. In the
1960s, the Guaymas, also called Ngöbegues, emigrated from
Panama to Costa Rica.
• Location: Southern Pacific, Province of Puntarenas; Communities of
Abrojos in the Canton of Corredores, Conteburica in the Golfito
Canton and Coto Brus.
• Cultural Identity: The colorful and handcrafted traditional costume
is still widely worn. Their language is Guaymí, but some of the
chiefs and officers also speak Spanish. A literacy program has
been established for the Indian reservation.
• Activities: Agriculture (cocoa, rice, beans, corn, palmoil and
bananas). Hunting, fishing, pig breeding.
Crafts: garment
manufacturing from natural fibres, colored with natural dyes and
tints, mats, hats made from tree bark.
Back to top
People from Mesoamerican or Nahua ethnic
origin
(Uto-Aztec people who speak the Nahuatl language)
Guatusos / Malekus
The Malekus are one of the smallest indigenous groups in Costa Rica.
Among all the Indian tribes, Maleku are those with the least land
property: 40% of the families do not own their land. Unemployment is
also high at 10%. The Malekus are dominated by non-native residents
on their own land: 62% of the reserve is inhabited by non-natives,
which has generated a process of increased mingling in recent years.
• Location: Northern plains of Costa Rica, Alajuela province, Canton
de San Rafael de Guatuso.
• Cultural Identity: Maleku is still spoken next to Spanish. In order
to conserve the use of traditional language, school education is
provided in both languages.
• Activities: agriculture (cacao, pejibaye, palmoil), freshwater fishing.
• Crafts: manufacture of figurines, ceramics, making rafts, bows and
wooden arrows.
Chorotegas
• Location: Guanacaste Province, Canton of Hojancha, Matambú
indigenous reservation, villages of San Vicente, Guaitil and Santa
Barbara.
• Cultural Identity: The original native language is no longer spoken,
but the ethnic identity is still maintained. Customs and traditions
are kept, for example as the production of ceramic pottery,
figurines.
• Activities: agriculture (crops, vegetable gardening, beekeeping)
Huetares
Only a small community of native Huetares has survived to this day.
• Location: Province of San José, Canton de Puriscal, Zapatón, Region
of Cerrito Quepos
• Cultural Identity: The cultural identity has been somewhat lost,
although certain traditions, such as the Fiesta del Maíz, and the
use of medicinal plants, have been preserved. Today Huetares
speak Spanish.
• Activities: the natives' land is relatively unfertile and a varied
agriculture did not develop; corn is one of the only products
grown by Huetares.
Crafts: products based on palm leaf, fodder and vegetable fibers. The
Huetares are specialists in natural colors for dyeing clothes. Ceramic
artifacts are sold at roadsides and at "ferias" (markets).