Sidebar #48 - Indigeneity in Costa Rica

Having previously studied abroad in Ecuador and Guatemala, where there are large Inca and Maya influences respectively, something that immediately stood out in Costa Rica was the lack of indigenous influence on a national level. Compared to almost every other country in the region, Costa Rica has a much smaller indigenous population. Estimates suggest indigenous peoples make up just around 2 percent of the total population. There are still indigenous Ticos and tribes living in Costa Rica; however, these people live much on the periphery of Costa Rican society. Many of these indigenous groups live in the far south or far north of Costa Rica in areas that are inaccessible to a lot of the public. Costa Rica officially recognizes 8 different indigenous groups including Briri, Cabecar, Chorotega, Brunka, Huetar, Maleku, Ngabe, and Broran. Despite living in Costa Rica for over a year, by nature of being in the capital city, I’ve had almost zero contact with Costa Rica’s indigenous culture. What little I know was gleaned from a combination of museums, Peace Corps class sessions, and online research. (The thumbnail photo is from San Jose's Jade Museum.) I’m hoping that in year two of my time in Costa Rica I’ll have more opportunities to learn about Costa Rica’s native population.



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