NATIVE VENEZUELAN COMMUNITIES

Historic Roots

The term “Native Communities” is a very extensive concept whose definition has always been controversial. In general, it is used to identify those ethnic groups that are characterized by possessing ways of life and unique organization from that of “industrialized” societies.

The expansion of the “Western” way of life, with its hunger for using up natural resources, has imposed upon on the rest of the world its political and social organization as well as its ethical and religious views. This situation now challenges the majority of the native communities of Latin America and other parts of the world, which fight to be reaffirmed as distinct towns in multicultural contexts or to be left to assimilate and lose their ancient cultural wealth.

According to the 2001 Census of Venezuela, which for the first time included the population of native communities, the total native population of the country is made up of 532,743 individuals, which is equal to 2.3% of the entire Venezuelan population.

Inclusion in the 1999 Constitution

Venezuela’s Constitution of 1999 dedicated a chapter to the rights of native communities, a fundamental achievement of the Bolivarian Government since it permitted the inclusion of groups that had not been recognized before the law in the past. Nowadays, not only are they recognized, but the government has also developed diverse politics to make sure they enjoy all the rights extended to the Venezuelan people. Additionally, in 2007 the Ministry of the Popular Power for Native Communities was founded.

Location and Demographics of the Major Native Communities in Venezuela

According to the Ministry of Popular Power for Native Communities, 44 native communities exist in Venezuela. The following is a very brief description of some of these communities:

• Wayuu: Historically, the “Wayuu” culture has developed in the Guajira Peninsula, located in the state of Zulia in the Perija Mountain Range. In 1992, 168,729 people belonging to this ethnic group lived in Venezuela.

• Warao: The Warao live in the Orinoco Delta in the the State of Delta Amacuro. Their traditional habitat is the edges of swamps and mangroves, where they live in “Palafitos,” or houses on stilts.  Small Warao communities also exist in the states of Monagas and Sucre. Their population grew in 1992 to 24,005 natives.

• Pemón: This ethnic group belongs to a great Caribbean linguistic group and lives in the southeastern State of Bolivar, near the border of Brazil and Guyana. The territory they inhabit is full of mineral resources such as gold and diamonds. The existence of these resources has increased the pressure over this ethnic group, which had 19,129 members in 1992.

• Yanomami: The Yanomami have developed their culture in the Amazon Forest between Brazil and Venezuela. For a long time, the Yanomami culture remained at the margin of civilized contact with “Western culture,” until gold was discovered in the Amazon. It is one of the most studied ethnic groups in Venezuela. They live primary in the State of Amazonas and they totaled 15,012 in 1992.

Consult the map of the native towns in Venezuela here. Learn more about the function and mission of the Ministry of the Popular Power for Native Towns here.