Indigenous peoples in Guyana, Native Guyanese or Amerindian Guyanese are Guyanese people who are of indigenous ancestry. They comprise approximately 9.16% of Guyana’s population. Amerindians are credited with the invention of the canoe, as well as Cassava-based dishes and Guyanese pepperpot, the national dish of Guyana. Amerindian languages have also been incorporated in the lexicon of Guyanese Creole.
Customs and languages vary across the nations of Amerindians. Each group has a distinct language, although there is understanding between speakers of Pemon, Kapóng, and Macushi. According to a survey conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank, only 20% of households were fluent in their own language, and higher fluency was related to longer distance from the capital.Caribs have been historically viewed as a warrior people, and while there is inter-tribal rivalry, much of what remains today was instigated during European colonization.
A lack of writing system at the time of European contact has contributed to a wide array of spellings of group names; an example was the Warao, who had nearly 30 different variants according to early documents.
Contemporary groups
Akawaio (Also known as Acahuayo, Acewaio, Akawai, or Ingariko), Mazaruni River basin and Venezuela
Island Caribs, known as their mainland counterpart Kalina (Also known as Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kariña, Kari’nja), northeast
Patamona (Also known as Ingarikó), west central, Brazil, and Venezuela
Lokono (Arawak), Guyana, Trinidad, Venezuela
Macushi, Brazil and Guyana
Pemon (Arecuna), upland savannah, Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela
Waiwai, Amazonas, Brazil and Guyana
Wapishana (Also known as Uapixana, Vapidiana, Wapichan, Wapichana, Wapisana, Wapishshiana, Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Wapixana) Brazil and Guyana
Warao (Also known as Guarao, Guarauno, Warau, Warrau), Guyana and Venezuela
Nearby nations that may have had a presence in Guyana
Atorada, southwest and Brazil
Auaké, Brazil and Guyana
Jaoi (Yao), Guyana, Trinidad and Venezuela
Mapidian (also known as Mawayana), southwest
Taruma, Guyana, Brazil, Suriname. Recognised in Maruranau by the Wapishana.
Tiriyó
Notable people
Sydney Allicock, former vice-president of Guyana
Stephen Campbell, Arawak politician
Valerie Hart
Oswald Hussein
Jean La Rose, Arawak environmentalist and indigenous rights activist
George Simon (b. 1947), artist and archaeologist
Marcus Wilson
See also
Amerindian Heritage Month (Guyana)
Category:Indigenous villages in Guyana
Demographics of Guyana
Umana Yana
Indigenous peoples of the Americas portal flag Guyana portal
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