Mythologies of the Baniwa Tribe


Baniwa (also known with local variants as Baniva, Baniua, Curipaco, Vaniva, Walimanai, Wakuenai) are indigenous South Americans, who speak the Baniwa language belonging to the Maipurean (Arawak) language family. They live in the Amazon Region, in the border area of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela and along the Rio Negro and its tributaries. There are an estimated 7,145 Baniwa in Brazil, 7,000 in Colombia and 3,501 in Venezuela's Amazonas State, according to Brazil's Instituto Socioambiental, but accurate figures are almost impossible to come by given the nature of the rainforest. The Baniwa people rely mainly on manioc cultivation and fishing for subsistence. They are also known for the fine basketry that they skillfully produce.

   


Baniwa Language

    Information and language learning
materials from the Baniwa Indian language.

The Baniwa and their Neighbors 

 Northwestern Brazil Language Map

Indios de Venezuela y Colombia

    Maps showing the location of
Baniwa territory in South America.

Indigenous Peoples of the Içana River

    Online ethnography of the
 Kuripako and Baniwa peoples.

Baniwa-Curripaco-Wakuenai

    Articles on the history, culture, religion and lifestyle
of the Baniwa and Curripaco Indians.

Orinoco Online: Baniwa

    Cultural traditions of the Baniwa,
with photographs of Baniwa artifacts.

Maloca: The Big House of the Amazon

    Essay about Amazonian longhouses of the
type used by Baniwa villages, with photos.

The women behind the Baniwa jiquitaia pepper farms  

Community Crop: Baniwa Jiquitaia peppers  Pimenta Baniwa

    Articles about a traditional Baniwa chili plant
now offering the tribe a sustainable source of income.

How To Live A Good Life

    Interview with tribal leader Andre Baniwa about /
education, economic development, and cultural  

Baniwa of the Aiary and Içana Collection

    Database of Baniwa oral history including stories,
audio recordings and photos. Mostly in Portuguese.

 Baniwa Artifacts

    Online museum exhibit with photos of Baniwa
bows and arrows, tools, and a ceremonial rattle.




Baniwa is the name for the tribe in the language of the neighboring Nheengatu people, where it means "manioc people" (Arawakan communities like the Baniwa have traditionally relied heavily on farming manioc, a root-like plant crop.) The Baniwa of Icana and the Baniva of Guainia have always been politically distinct from each other and their languages are only distantly related, but they share similar agricultural techniques, so the Nhengatu called them both 'manioc farmers'. This name is more often spelled "Baniva" in reference to the Baniva of Guainia, who live in Venezuela and Colombia, and "Baniwa" in reference to the Baniwa of Icana, who live in Brazil, but that doesn't have anything to do with the name the Nhengatu call them (which is the same)-- only with the differing spelling conventions of the Spanish and Portuguese languages which are dominant in those two countries. Though the Baniwa people accept this name, they refer to themselves in their own language as Walimanai ("the living generations," as opposed to the ancestors) and their language as Waku (which means "speech.") Some Baniwa people also use the name Wakuenai, meaning "speakers of our language." Alternate spellings for these names include Baníwa, Baniua, Baniba, Maniba, Maniva, Baniwa do Içana, Baniua do Içana, Baniua Içana, Baniua do Icana, Baniva del Isana, Izana, Issana, Baniwa-Kurripako, Curripaco-Baniva, Karútana-Baniwa, Karútiana-Baniva, Wáku, and Wakuénai. Important Baniwa subgroups include the Siusi (or Walipere-Dakenai), the Tatú (or Adzaneni,) the Kawa (or Maulieni), the Hohodene, the Dzauinai, the Moriwene (or Sucuriyu), the Ira, and the Kadaupuritana (variously spelled as Ualiperi, Siuci, Siusy, Seuci, Suici, Hohodena, Hohodené, Adzáneni, Adzanene, Tatu, Kawá, Katapolitana, Catapolitani, and Kadawapurítana.) These names can sometimes also be heard as compound words such as Siusi-Tapuya, Kawa-Tapuya, Ira-Tapuya, and so on. "Tapuya" is just a Tupi-Guarani word for "outsider," and is appended to the names of many non-Tupi Brazilian tribes.


The Baniwa tribe is an indigenous community that resides in the Amazon basin, situated between the borders of Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. The Baniwa people are also known as the "Walimanai" or "Baniva" and have a population of around 22,000. They have lived in the region for over 2,000 years and have adapted to the conditions of the Amazon rainforest. The Baniwa tribe is known for their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their sustainable farming practices. The Baniwa tribe has a rich history and culture that spans over two millennia. They have a complex social organization, and their way of life has been shaped by their environment. The Baniwa people are known for their intricate basketry, pottery, and weaving skills. They also celebrate a range of festivals and rituals throughout the year, honoring their ancestors and the spirits of the natural world.


Baniwa (also known with local variants as Baniva, Baniua, Curipaco, Vaniva, Walimanai, Wakuenai) are South American Indians, who speak the Baniwa language belonging to the Maipurean (Arawak) language family. They live in the Amazon Region, in the border area of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela and along the Rio Negro and its tributaries. There are an estimated 5,811 Baniwa in Brazil, 7,000 in Colombia and 2,408 in Venezuela's Amazonas State, according to Brazil's Instituto Socioambiental, but accurate figures are almost impossible to come by given the nature of the rainforest. Baniwa Indians rely mainly on manioc cultivation and fishing for subsistence. They are also known for the fine basketry they skilfully produce.


The Baniwa live on the borders of Brazil with Colombia and Venezuela, in villages located on the banks of the Içana River and its tributaries the Cuiari, Aiari and Cubate, as well as in communities on the Upper Rio Negro/Guainía and in the urban centers of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Santa Isabel and Barcelos (AM). The Kuripako, who speak a dialect of the Baniwa language and are kin of the Baniwa, live in Colombia and on the upper Içana (Brazil). Both groups are highly skilled in the manufacture of arumã (aririte) basketry, an age-old art that was taught to them by their creator heroes and which is being commercialized today in Brazilian markets.Recently, they have also become outstanding for their active participation in the indigenous movement in the region. This movement includes a cultural complex of 22 different indigenous groups who are articulated through a network of trade and are very similar in their social organization, material cultural, and worldview.

The Baniwa (also known with local variants as Baniva, Vaniva, Walimanai, Wakuenai) are South American Indians, who speak the Baniwa language belonging to the Maipurean (Arawak) language family. They live in the Amazon Region, in the border area of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela and along the Rio Negro and its tributaries. There are an estimated 5,140 Baniwa in Brazil, 6,790 in Colombia and 3,200 in Venezuela's Amazonas State, according to Brazil's Instituto Socioambiental, but accurate figures are almost impossible to come by given the nature of the rainforest. Baniwa Indians rely mainly on manioc cultivation and fishing for subsistence. They are also known for the fine basketry they skilfully 
produce.

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