- Cumanagoto people
-
Cumanagoto Regions with significant populations 
VenezuelaLanguages 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
- ^ Cumanagoto in the DRAE (Diccionario de la Lengua Española)
- ^ Cumanagoto in Encyclopaedia Britannica
See also
- Carib
- Cariban languages
Ethnic groups in Venezuela Current indigenous 
Extinct indigenous Non-Indigenous 
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