COSTA RICAN INDIANS

THREE GROUPS ARE INCLUDED HERE- BORUCA, BRIBRI AND CABECAS. THEY ARE ON THE SLOPES OF THE BRUNQUENA MOUNTAIN RANGE AND THE TALAMANCA MOUNTAINS.

IN 1945 THE BORUCA - TERRABA RESERVATIONS WAS FOUNDED. THE BRIBRI HAVE FOUR RESERVATIONS. THE CABECAR HAVE 6 RESERVATIONS. ALL THREE TRIBES HAVE INTERMARRIED AND SOME NON INDIANS LIVE ON THE RESERVATION. BY 1994 ALL THREE GROUPS HAD 19,000 FOLKS. THEY ALL SPEAK CHIBCHAN. THE EARLIEST DATE THEY MET THE SPANISH WAS IN 1502 WITH COLUMBUS. AT THESE TIMES THE COSTA RICANS WERE ORGANIZED INTO CHIEFDOMS. THE VILLAGES OF THE BOUCA AND NEIGHBORS WERE DESTROYED IN 1563. THE INDIANS WERE REASSIGNED INTO COLONIAL SOCIAL UNITS. MISSIONS AND ECONIENDA. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE RETAINED THEIR ANCESTRAL CULTURE. THE BORUCA WERE PACIFIED BY 1608. BY 1629 A VILLAGE OF BORUCA WAS BUILT. IT WAS A MULE STOP AS THEY WENT FROM THE CAPITAL OF CARTAGO TO PANAMA. DURING LATE 1600'S . BORUCA WAS ORGANIZED FOR COLONIAL FUNCTIONS - A TOWN HALL , COMMUNITY CENTER, SHELTER FOR TRAVELERS AND 12 HUTS.

BETWEEN 1848 - 1875 THE AREA REMAINED SPARSELY POPULATED. BY BUILDING THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY THEY OPENED UP THE REGION TO MASSIVE IMMIGRATION OF NON INDIANS. THE FIRST NO INDIANS ARRIVED IN 1848 FROM COSTA RICA. ETHNIC CONFLICT AROSE BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITION BETWEEN LAND AND OTHER RESOURCES. THE FIRST NON INDIANS ARRIVED IN 1848 FROM COSTA RICA. ETHNIC CONFLICT AROSE BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITION BETWEEN LAND AND OTHER RESOURCES.

THE EARLY SPANISH RECOGNIZED THE BRIBRI AND CABACAR AS ONE GROUP AS THEY HAD CLOSE LANGUAGE WITH AND CULTURAL TRAITS FROM EUROPEAN INFLUENCES. A MAJOR REVOLT AGAINST THE SPANISH REVOLT WAS IN 1610. AFTER 1882 THEY BUILT PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND EXPANDED THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS. DURING THE LATE 1880'S THE BRIBRI AND CABECAR CLANS WERE ORDERED BY A HIGH RANKING CHIEF- KPA. HE WAS SACRED AND NO ONE COULD TOUCH HIM, LOOK AT HIM, OR SPEAK TO HIM DIRECTLY! THEIR LAST KING DIED IN 1910. IN EARLY 1990'S THE ABORIGINAL CULTURE IS DISAPPEARING BUT THERE ARE FAMILIES WHO ARE USING THE OLD TRADITION.

BORUCA IS A TOWN JUST SOUTH OF SAN JOSE. THEIR HAMLETS LIVE CLOSE TO THE GRANDE DE TERRABA RIVER. THE ROADS ARE ROUGH HERE. SOME OF THEIR HOUSES HAVE STEEP PEAKS WITH THATCHED SAVANNA GRASS ROOFS. THEIR HOUSE WALLS ARE OF WOOD BOARDS. MOST OTHER BUILDINGS HAVE METAL ROOFS. MOST HOUSES HAVE RUNNING WATER , SHOWERS, SINKS AND ELECTRICITY. THE TOWN HAS TELEPHONE BOOTHS.

THE BRIBRI AND CABECARHAVE MORE DISPERSED SETTLEMENTS. THEY BUILT RECTILINEAR OR OVAL SHAPED ROOFS. THE CONICAL HOUSE REFLECTED THE CULTURAL REVITALIZATION. THIS HOUSE TYPE REFLECTS THE COSMOLOGICAL VIEWS OF THE TALAMANCA. THE THATCHED ROOF HOUSES ARE REPLACED BY PAINTED FARM HOUSES.

THESE THREE GROUPS PLANTED BEANS AND MANIOC, SWEET POTATOES, ROOT CROPS, PUMPKINS, PEACH PALMS, COCOAL, PLANTATIONS BANANAS, RICE, AND COFEE. THEY HAVE PLANTED OLD WORLD FRUIT. TREES AND HAVE IMPROVED SEEDS AND INTRODUCED NEW CROPS. SINCE THE LATE 1940'S THE CULTIVATION OF GARDEN VEGETATABLES HAS BEEN TAUGHT IN GRADE SCHOOLS. THESE TRIBES DEPEND ON COCOA, AND PLANTATIONS AS CASH CROPS, AS WELL AS CORN AND BEANS. HUNTING AND FISHING HAVE SUPPLEMENTED AGRICULTURE. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE RESTRICTED OR ABSENT BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION OF FORESTS. WILD PLANTS ARE COLLECTED FOR MEDICINE AND MATERIALS FOR BUILDING AND CRAFTS. PEOPLE WORK AS TEACHERS, HEALTH CARE, POLICE, GUARDS, ELECTRICIANS, GOVERNMENT JOBS, ETC.

TRADE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT. THE BRIBRIAND CALICAR CAME TO THE VILLAGE OF BORUCA TO TRADE BOWS AND ARROWS, CORD BAGS, BASKETS, AND FOREST PRODUCTS. THE BORUCA BROUGHT DYED WOVEN MATERIALS AND SALT.

MEN CLEAR LAND TO RAISE LIVESTOCK. WOMEN PLANT , HARVEST AND TRANSPORT CROPS. WOMEN MAY CARRY LOADS WHILE MEN WALK AHEAD WITH A MACHETE. WIVES MAY HELP IN THE HUSBAND'S FIELD. BOTH MEN ABD WOMEN RAISE LIVESTOCK.

MOST MARRIAGES TODAY OCCUR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE TWO SETS OF PARENTS DECIDE IF THE COUPLE SHOULD GET MARRIED. THE BRIBRI AND CABECAR TEND TO FOLLOW NATIVE CUSTOM. IN TRADITIONAL TIMES GRANDMOTHERS AND MOTHERS MAY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF INFLUENCE ON THE DECISION. THE SON IN LAW COMES TO LIVE WITH THE BRIDE'S PARENTS.

NUCLEAR FAMILIES ARE COMMON AND OLDER GENERATIONS ARE INVITED INTO THE HOUSEHOLD. THE BORUCA MEN PREFER PREFER MALE CHILDREN. THE FOUR YEAR OLD GIRL MAY TAKE CARE OF THEIR SISTERS. ALL THREE GROUPS HAVE WAYS TO PREVENT MISCARRIAGE AND PREGNANCY!

MOST BORUCA ARE CATHOLIC. MOST LEGENDS AND MYTHS ARE CONSIDERED THINGS OF THE PAST. SPIRITUAL BEINGS RELATED TO NATURE ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS COSMOLOGY.

THE BORUCA ASSIST THE CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN TENDING RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS. THE BORUCA ASSIST THE CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN TENDING RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS, TEACHING, AND LEADING PRAYERS. THE THREE GROUPS CELEBRATED THE COSTA RICAN'S NATIONAL HOLIDAYS WITH ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED BY THE SCHOOLS. THEY HAVE CATHOLIC CEREMONIES SUCH AS THOSE WHO COMMEMORATE SAINTS, XMAS , HOLY WEEK. ETC. THE BORUCA CELEBRATE THE COMING OF SPANIARDS, DI DE LOS NEGRATOS IN DECEMBER 6. DRINKS AND FLUTES ARE PLAYED AND JOKES ARE TOLD AND MERRYMAKING PREVAILS. THEY HAVE A SEVERAL OTHER CEREMONIES DURING WHICH DURING WHICH THEY DRINK BEER FROM CORN.

THEY ALL RELY ON WESTERN MEDICINE. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IS PROACTIVE IN HOMES. THE BORUCA HAVE FEMALE HEALERS . THEY HAVE HERBAL DRUGS FOR LOVE, HATE, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, PREGNACY, AMNESIA,TO PREVENT PREGNANCY, TO CURE SNAKE BITES, AND OTHER ILLNESSES. NATIVE AND WESTERN MEDICINES ARE COMPLIMENTARY.

SHAMANS TREAT ILLNESS BY MEANS OF FASTING, HERBAL AND OTHER KINDS OF MEDICINES AND ESOTERIC CHANTS. THEY USE CRYSTALS.

IF THERE IS NO PRIEST IN THE VILLAGE WHEN A DEATH OCCURS, THE MAYOR RINGS THE CHURCH BELLS. THEY LET THE PERSON LIE IN THEIR HOME SO RELATIVES CAN VISIT. MEAT AND TOMALES AND BEVERAGES ARE SERVED. THE MAYOR RECITES A PRAYERS. PEOPLE MAY BRING MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR FUNERAL EXPENSES AND BRING FOOD. THEY PRAY FOR 9 DAYS. THEY BELIEVE THE SOUL GOES TO THE UNDERWORLD.

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