Piaroa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Piaroa |
|---|
| Total population |
|
12,000 (est.) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Venezuela, Colombia |
| Languages |
| Piaroa-Maco |
| Religions |
| Animism |
The Piaroa are an indigenous American ethnic group living along the banks of the Orinoco and its tributaries in present day Venezuela, and in a few scattered locations elsewhere in Venezuela and in Colombia. The Piaroa number at a population of about 12,000.
Seeing competition as spiritually evil and lauding cooperation, the Piaroa are both strongly egalitarian and supportive of individual autonomy. 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. They are also regarded as one of the world's most peaceful societies, with murder a concept that is both unknown and entirely nonexistent. 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. As a result the Piaroa have been described by anthropologists as a functioning anarchist society.
[edit] Language
The Piaroa speak a Saliban language.
