Find your way: : Indigenous peoples in Brazil> Who, where, how many> Encyclopedia>
TAUREPANG   

Other names:
Pemon, Jarekuna, Arekuna

Location:
The ‘lavrado’ [high plains] region of the state of Roraima in Brazil, and in Venezuela

How many:
582 in Brazil (FUNASA 2002) and 21,000 in Venezuela (2001)

Language:
Karib

Adolescent Taurepang girls in the Sorocaima village. Photo: Eliane Motta, 1984.

The majority of the Taurepang are found in the Venezuelan savannah. Those living on the Brazilian side of the border with Venezuela and Guyana are found in villages within the Terras Indígenas São Marcos and Raposa Serra do Sol, living alongside indians from other ethnic groups. Since the early decades of the 20th century they have been under pressure from the expanding cattle ranching frontier on the high plains of Roraima. The presence of non-indians on their lands intensified with the construction of the BR-174 highway in the 1970s cutting across the TI. In 2001 an electricity transmission line was also constructed alongside the highway. In exchange the indians saw the ranchers relocated, but continue to live with the problem of having the seat of the municipality located inside the TI.



Geraldo Andrello
anthropologist, member of the Instituto Socioambiental
andrello@socioambiental.org

December 2004

    Back to top
Print
Untitled Document
Who, where, how many| How they live| Languages | Indigenous organizations| The Indians and us | Rights | Sources| e-mail
© Instituto Socioambiental.
Express written permission from the Instituto Socioambiental is required for the reproduction of any part of this site.
Reproduction of photos and illustrations is prohibited.