Bribri Essay

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Costa Rica, meaning “rich coast” in Spanish, was given its name for the wealth of gold found when it was first discovered in 1502 (Costa Rica, 1892). What the Spaniards may not have realized, is that indigenous communities even richer in culture had been occupying the land for thousands of years. To this day, Costa Rica is the home of eight separate indigenous groups, whose people make up 1,7 % of the country's population (Sévenier, 2003). The Bribri, the second largest tribe and the focus of this paper, have a reserve population of about 11,500. However, due to often isolated villages which make calculations difficult, some estimate their true numbers are closer to 35,000 (Bribri, n.d.). This paper will begin by exploring the traditional beliefs, …show more content…

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The authenticity of Bribri culture has been maintained thanks to their isolation in the Costa Rican jungle and the reserves, where they are largely uninfluenced by modern society (Sévenier, 2003). Though some of their beliefs and traditions have been lost, others remain, passed down orally from generation to generation. The Bribri believe that the universe resides in the house of the creator named Sibo/Sibú. According to them, “the roof is pierced by millions of little holes, through which the light goes and forms constellations...when dawn comes, the sun falls off the earth to turn around and come behind the roof, giving light to the stars” (Sévenier, 2003). The Bribri also believe that humans originally came from seeds, which were given to the lesser benevolent gods by the creator (Skinner, 1920). The evil gods continually tried to steal these seeds, creating many important adventures and stories. The Bribri also have complex rituals and ceremonies surrounding death. For instance, when a Bribri is near death, they are removed from their house and brought to a small hut away …show more content…

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