Thursday, April 12, 2012

BRIBRI, BORUCA, TERABA IN COSTA RICA

THERE ARE THREE GROUPS LOCATED IN COSTA RICA ON THE BRUNQUENA MOUNTAIN RANGE. ESTABLISHED IN 1945. THERE IS MUCH INTERMARRIAGE. SOME NON INDIANS LIVED ON THE RESERVATION. THE BORUCA LIVED ON RESERVED LAND AND POPULATION OF 6700. THE CABECAR HAD 8300 FOLKS. THEY ALL SPEAK CHIBCHAN LANGUAGE. THE BRIBRI AND CABECAR ARE MOSTLY BILINGUAL. IN THE 1980S THE BRUNKEN LANGUAGE WAS SPOKEN BY ELEVEN PEOPLE AND 40 UNDERSTOOD IT..

THE SPANISH ENTERED IN 1502 AND THEY ENTERED IN 1502, AND THEY HAD EXPEDITIONS IN 1519 TO 1560. MORE INFORMATION STEMS FROM CONQUISTADOR JUAN VASQUEZ DE CORONADO, WHO MET WITH OFFICIALS IN 1564. THESE AND OTHER COSTA RICANS WERE ORGANIZED INTO A CHIEFDOM'S. THE INDIANS BEGAN TO BE REASSIGNED TO COLONIAL SOCIAL UNITS, AS MISSIONS. THE TALAMANCA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE MANAGED TO RETAIN TRAITS OF CHIEFDOMS. THE BORUCA WERE CONSIDERED PACIFIED IN 1608. THEY BUILT A VILLAGE BY 1629. IT WAS A MILE STOP. DURING 1600'S BORUCA WAS THE ONLY VILLAGE IN THE SOUTH. BY THE END OF THE CENTURY THE COMMUNITY HAD 12 HUTS. BY 1801 THEY HAD 250 PEOPLE. NON INDIAN SETTLEMENTS WERE PROHIBITED UNTIL THE 1882. IN MATTERS CONCERNING SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY THREATS, AND ESPECIALLY AND CROP FAILURE, THE BRIBRI AND CABECAR AND OTHER CLANS OBSERVED PERIODS OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE. THE HIGHEST RANKING CHIEF WAS THE KPA. IT COULD NOT BE LOOKED AT OR EVEN TOUCHED DIRECTLY. THEY HAD AN EXECUTIVE CHIEF WHO CONDUCTED WAR. THEIR LAST KING DIED IN 1910. IN THE EARLY 1990'S THE ABORIGINAL STYLE OF LIFE WAS DISAPPEARING. THEY CAN STILL FIND INDIVIDUALS. SOME FAMILIES HAVE MAINTAINED TRADITIONS.

THEY MARRY IN A CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE BRIBRI-CAHECUR FOLLOW NATIVE CUSTOMS. AND THE TWO SETS OF PARENTS DECIDE IF THE COUPLE IS ALRIGHT.

NUCLEAR FAMILIES ARE COMMON AS WELL AS BROTHER SISTER HOUSEHOLDS. SOME PEOPLE RELATED THROUGH THE FEMALE LINE AND ARE COMMON. OLDER ELDERS COME INTO FAMILY GROUPS IF THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THEMSELVES. THE BORUCA OFTEN PREFER MALES INSTEAD OF GIRL BABIES. OLDER GIRLS AND BOYS TAKE CARE OF THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS. THE KIDS ARE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY ARE ABOUT ABOUT 6 BY A PRIEST. THE BRIBRI TRADITION IS TO WELCOME CHILDREN. THE BORUCA ARE NOMINALLY CATHOLIC. THEY HAVE MASS AND TELL LEGENDS AND AND MYTHS OF THINGS OF THE PAST. SOME FOLKS BELONG BAHAI FAITH. THEY HAVE REVITALIZED A NEW BELIEF SYSTEM - A SINGLE CREATOR WHO INCLUDES WHO RELATED THROUGH PEOPLE WHO RELATE THROUGH SHAMANS. SPIRITUAL BEINGS ARE RELATED TO NATURE AND ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS NEW TRADITION.

THE 3 GROUPS CELEBRATE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS WITH ACTIVITIES BY THE SCHOOLS . PUBLIC CEREMONIES SUCH AS THOSE CELEBRATING PATRON SAINTS AND CHRISTMAS AND MORE EVENTS. THEY PLAY A GAME WITH A A CARVED HORSE HEAD THAT SYMBOLIZES SPANISH AND IT IS SYMBOLICALLY BURNED. DRUMS AND FLUTES ARE PLAYED. JOKES ARE TOLD THERE IS MERRY MAKING. AT THE END OF DECEMBER DIA DE LOS DIABLITOS IS CELEBRATED. PEOPLE CARVE MASKS OF WOOD AND THEIR LANGUAGE IS DISGUISED. A DRUM AND FLUTE IS PLAYED A CONQUISTADOR CARRIED A CARVED BULL FACE. SOME PEOPLE STEAL LITTLE THINGS FROM PEOPLE'S HOUSES. THE STOLEN THINGS ARE GIVEN TO PLAYERS ON THE LAST DAY. THE BULL KILLS THE DEVIL. WOMEN, REPRESENTED BY EN ARE KILLED. THE BULL HIDES AND THE DEAD ARE REVIVED. THE BULL IS IS DRAGGED TO THE CENTER AND BURNED. THE THREE GROUPS PRACTICE A CHICHADA OR A DRINKING OCCASION OF BEER FROM CORN. THEY DANCE AND TELL STORIES.

THE BORUCA HAVE ASSISTANTS OR RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONERS FOR THEIR PRIESTS. THEY TEACH THE FAITH AND LEAD PRAYERS. THESE CULTURES HAVE VERY ELABORATE CEREMONIES AND PATTERNS FOR DEALING WITH DISEASE, BIRTH AND DEATH.

NATIVE-LANGUAGES.COM

No comments:

Post a Comment