The Patamona are an

Amerindian The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

people native to the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana and northern Brazil.Patamona.
Caribbean Indigenous and Endangered Languages Project. University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica. They speak a Cariban language, Kapóng, and have often been referred to interchangeably as Akawaio or Ingariko. Patamona are considered a sub-group of Kapon people. There are about 5,000 living members of this and closely related ethnic groups in Guyana. A 1990 population estimate for Guyana was 5500. According to FUNASA, Brazil had 120 Patamona in 2010. They were recognized as a distinct ethnic group in Brazil since 2005.

History

They are known archaeologically from

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and po ...

collections in the Yawong Valley and the upper

Siparuni River The Siparuni River is a river in the Potaro-Siparuni Region of Guyana. It is a tributary of the Essequibo River. Tributaries of the Siparuni River include the Takutu River, Burro-Burro River, Tipuru River and Levai Creek. Archaic petroglyph ...

. These collections suggest an affiliation with

Akawaio Akawaio may refer to: * Akawaio people, an indigenous people of South America * Akawaio language, the language of the Akawaio people * ''Akawaio'' (fish), a genus of fish {{Disambiguation Language and nationality disambiguation pages ...

groups in the 19th century. The burial urn guarded by a serpent is a characteristic artifact of Patamona pottery. Pottery was traded for cassava graters made by other Carib groups up until the 20th century. The region was exploited until recently for suitable farm lands, hunting and fishing. The Patamona were not contacted until the early 19th century. To this day, the Patamona people call themselves the People of the Heavens, whose remnants of their culture survive in

Paramakatoi Paramakatoi is an Amerindian community in the Potaro-Siparuni Region of Guyana, located in the Pacaraima Mountains. With an altitude of , it is east of Kurukabaru. History Paramakatoi is part of the traditional lands of the indigenous Patamon ...

, as well as nearby Kaieteur Falls.

Villages

In Guyana, residents of

and some other villages are literate in English and Patamona. Other villages with Patamona populations include Campbelltown,

Micobie Micobie (also: Maicobi and ''Cassava Hill'') is a village in Potaro-Siparuni, Guyana, on the right bank of the Potaro River near Tumatumari. History The village was established in the 19th century. During the construction of the Denham Suspensio ...

, Monkey Mountain, Princeville, and Kato. Orinduik is a Patamona village along the

Maú River The Ireng River (or Maú River, generally used in Portuguese) forms part of Guyana's western border with Brazil. It flows through the valleys of the Pakaraima Mountains for most of its length. It is the only major river in Guyana which flows fro ...

. In Brazil, the Patamona have a minority presence in Raposa Serra do Sol.

Culture

Kaieteur Falls is an important cultural site for the Patamona people. Kaieteur Falls has been named after Old Kaie, a member of the Patamona tribe. In their animist religion the Patamona believe in ''Knaima'', a spirit that possesses people and turns them into evil beings. Common agricultural products include bitter cassava, yam, sweet potato, sugarcane, chili pepper, squash. Bitter cassava is used to make kasiri and ''pajuaru''. Kasiri is a lightly fermented cassava drink consumed at breakfast, while pajuaru has a longer fermentation and is a festive drink. Fish are often eaten, and can be dry smoked. Culinary practices are similar to other indigenous people of the region, including preparation of the Guyanese pepperpot, called ''tuma'' in Patamona. Food is also steamed by packaging them in leaves and setting them beside a fire. They also gather wild mushrooms for consumption, including ''

amanita The genus ''Amanita'' contains about 600 species of agarics, including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide, as well as some well-regarded edible species. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities result ...

perphaea'' (or ''pulutukwe), Cookeina (agubana), Lentinula boryana (kapiokwok)'' and certain '' clavulina'' also known as ''kunmudlutse'' and ''tepurumeng''.

References

{{authority control Indigenous peoples in Guyana