Cumanagoto people

Cumanagoto people
Cumanagoto
Regions with significant populations
 Venezuela
Languages

Cumanagoto, Spanish

Related ethnic groups

Carib, Afro-Caribbeans

The Cumanagotos are a group of Native Americans in South America. They belong to the Carib family. Their territory extended originally over the ancient province of Nueva Andalucía (Cumaná and Barcelona) in eastern Venezuela, and their descendants live now in the north of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela.[1]

The Cumanagotos were Amerindians of northeastern Venezuela at the time of the Spanish conquest. Since the 17th century they have not existed as a tribal or cultural unit. The Cumanagoto spoke a Cariban language, related to that of the Palenque. They were agricultural, growing corn (maize), manioc, sweet potatoes, and other native crops, as well as coca trees. Wild foods were also gathered, and hunting was important. Domesticated animals were uncommon, except for turkeys. Their villages often had wooden palisades for defense. Dress was minimal, consisting of a small genital covering and decorative ornaments of feathers, pearls, gold, shell, clay beads, coral beads, bones, teeth, or flowers. Polygyny was practiced by chiefs, whose wives lived together in a kind of harem. Religion centered on worship of the sun and moon.[2]

References

  1. ^ Cumanagoto in the DRAE (Diccionario de la Lengua Española)
  2. ^ Cumanagoto in Encyclopaedia Britannica

See also