Piaroa people
 Piaroa at work | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Venezuela,  Colombia | |
| Languages | |
| Piaroa, Maquiritare, Yabarana, and Spanish[1] |
The Piaroa are an indigenous people of the middle Orinoco Basin in present day Venezuela, living in an area equivalent to the size of Belgium, roughly circumscribed by the Parguaza (north), the Ventuari (south-east), the Manapiare (north-east) and the right bank of the Orinoco (west). Their present day population is of about 14,000 (INE 2002), with some 500 living on the left bank of the Orinoco River, in Colombia, in several reservations between the Vichada (north) and the Guaviare (south).[2]
Name
The Piaroa, a term of unknown origin, are also known as De'arua (masters of the forest), Wothuha (knowledgeable people), also spelled Huǫttųją (NTM spelling) and Wötʰïhä (IPA spelling), and De'atʰïhä (people of the forest).[3]
Society
Seeing competition as spiritually evil and lauding cooperation, the Piaroa are both strongly egalitarian and supportive of individual autonomy.[4] The Piaroa are also strongly anti-authoritarian and opposed to the hoarding of resources, which they see as giving members the power to constrain their freedom.[4] They are also regarded as one of the world's most peaceful societies, with murder a concept that is both unknown and entirely nonexistent.[4] Anthropologist Joanna Overing also notes that social hierarchy is minimal, and that it would be difficult to say any form of male dominance exists, despite leaders being traditionally male.[4] As a result the Piaroa have been described by some anthropologists as a functioning anarchist society.[4]
Language
The Piaroa speak Wötʰïhä tivene, or Piaroa language, which belongs to the Salivan language family.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Piaroa." Ethnologue. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Freire & Zent. 2007. "Los Piaroa", in Salud Indígena en Venezuela, vol. 1.
- ^ Freire & Zent. 2007. "Los Piaroa", in Salud Indígena en Venezuela, vol. 1.
- ^ a b c d e Graeber, David. 2004 "Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology."
- ^ Overing, J. 1988. "Los Wothuha," in Aborígenes de Venezuela, edited by J Lizot. Fundación La Salle.
External links
- Piaroa profile at peacefulsocieties.org
- Indian Cultures – Piaroa
- Graeber David Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology. Chicago, Prickly Paradig Press Feb. 2011
- The shaman's necklace on YouTube: a 1-minute excerpt from a documentary film directed by anthropologist Lajos Boglár in 1968, uploaded by the Ethnographic Museum (Budapest).
- Photos on material culture of Piaroa, and a summary on mythological figures (Wahari, Cheheru, Kwemoi): Indígenas de Venezuela: los Piaroa (Part 1) by Ronny Velásquez and Nilo Ortiz. Also a PDF version provided. Translation can be read here.
- Photos and article on spiritual culture of Piaroa, paraphernalia of the Warime mask dance: La ceremonia Piaroa del Wärime (Part 2) by Ronny Velásquez y Nilo Ortiz. Also a PDF version provided. Translation can be read here.