Indigenous peoples in Guyana

{{Infobox ethnic group|

| group = Indigenous Guyanese

| image = 250px

| caption = The Lokono Artists Group. From left to right: "Puffy" Clenkien, Telford Taylor, Ossie Hussein (standing), Foster Simon, George Simon and Lynus Clenkien

| pop = 67,331
9.16% of Guyana's population[https://www.Starbroeknews.com/ "Indian, African-Guyanese numbers continue to decline, in census finds mixed race and Amerindian population still growing."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207152313/http://starbroeknews.com/ |date=2011-02-07 }} Retrieved 19

July 2016.

| langs = English, Guyanese Creole, and Indigenous languages (including the nine recognized languages of Akawaio, Macushi, Waiwai, Arawak, Patamona, Warrau, Carib, Wapishana, and Arekuna)

| rels = Christianity, Indigenous religions, and others

| related =

}}

Indigenous peoples in Guyana, Native Guyanese or Amerindian Guyanese are Guyanese people who are of Indigenous ancestry. They comprise approximately 9.16% of Guyana's population. Amerindians are credited with the invention of the canoe,{{Cite web|title=First Peoples|url=https://www.nalis.gov.tt/Resources/Subject-Guide/First-Peoples|access-date=2021-02-14|website=www.nalis.gov.tt}} as well as Cassava-based dishes and Guyanese pepperpot, the national dish of Guyana. Amerindian languages have also been incorporated in the lexicon of Guyanese Creole.{{Cite web|last1=Holbrook|first1=David J.|last2=Holbrook|first2=Holly A.|date=2001|title=Guyanese Creole Survey Report|url=http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/messages/downloadsexceeded.html|access-date=2021-03-02}}

Customs and languages vary across the nations of Amerindians. Each group has a distinct language, although there is understanding between speakers of Pemon, Kapóng, and Macushi. According to a survey conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank, only 20% of households were fluent in their own language, and higher fluency was related to longer distance from the capital.{{Cite journal|last1=Bollers|first1=Elton|last2=Clarke|first2=Dillon|last3=Johnny|first3=Teniesha|last4=Wenner|first4=Mark|date=February 2019|title=Guyana's Indigenous Peoples 2013 Survey|url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/be93/5a07fcacc3ae173287c98d4679be7fe2d18d.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220005802/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/be93/5a07fcacc3ae173287c98d4679be7fe2d18d.pdf|archive-date=2020-02-20|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-03|publisher=Inter-American Development Bank|pages=71–72|doi=10.18235/0001591|s2cid=134838441}} Caribs have been historically viewed as a warrior people, and while there is inter-tribal rivalry, much of what remains today was instigated during European colonization.{{Cite web|title=Indigenous Nations {{!}} Ministry of Amerindian Affairs|url=https://moaa.gov.gy/amerindian-nations/|access-date=2021-02-13|language=en-US}}

A lack of writing system at the time of European contact has contributed to a wide array of spellings of group names; an example was the Warao, who had nearly 30 different variants according to early documents.

Post-Columbian History

Early interaction with the Dutch involved trade, or militia services{{Cite journal|last=Whitehead|first=Neil Lancelot|date=1990|title=Carib Ethnic Soldiering in Venezuela, the Guianas, and the Antilles, 1492–1820|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/482860|journal=Ethnohistory|volume=37|issue=4|pages=357–385|doi=10.2307/482860|jstor=482860|issn=0014-1801}} such as hunting escaped slaves which continued on into the 1800s for the British. They were viewed by European colonial governments as protectors of the lands, or their borders, from claims by Spain and France. Amerindians themselves were also viewed as needing protection, leading to policies of missionization. Early land concessions and rights granted to appease Amerindians in order for European interests to survive in the Guianas eroded with the end of slavery and the growing viewpoint that Amerindians were benefiting by the civilizing force of European culture. Missions and schools were founded from various Christian societies,{{Cite book|last=Menezes|first=Mary Noel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UjKC3f6dCJUC&dq=Amerindians+in+Guyana&pg=PR18|title=The Amerindians in Guyana, 1803–73: A Documentary History|date=1979|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-7146-4030-3|language=en}} and these continue to play an important role in many contemporary communities.

In 1899, the Hague tribunal to designate the border between British Guiana and Venezuela used evidence that by the accepting British sovereignty, the traditional lands of those tribes were thus a part of British Guiana.

The Constitutional Conference of 1965 recognized the rights of Amerindians. Contrasting with the paternalistic missionary approach, integration and assimilation became more important in the 20th century. In 1976, an Indigenous Residence was opened in Georgetown to provide accommodation for hinterland people visiting Georgetown for educational, medical or other purposes.{{Cite web|title=Indigenous Residence|url=https://moaa.gov.gy/indigenous-residence/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Ministry of Amerindian Affairs|language=en-US}}

Titling is a key current issue for Indigenous communities,{{Cite web|title=Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) Project {{!}} Ministry of Amerindian Affairs|url=https://moaa.gov.gy/amerindian-land-titling-alt/|access-date=2021-02-13|language=en-US}} with encroachment on traditional lands for mining, logging, or other commercial uses. Court cases have presented problems with economic activity performed in adjacent lands affecting Amerindian communities, such as pollution of water supplies.

Amerindians founded the Alleluia church, which combines Christian beliefs with Amerindian traditions.{{Cite web|title=Guyana – Christianity|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/38.htm|access-date=2021-02-16|website=countrystudies.us}}{{Cite journal|last=Posern-Zieliński|first=Aleksander|date=1978-10-16|title=Religious Ferment among the Indians of British Guiana at the Turn of the 19th Century|url=https://estudioslatinoamericanos.pl/index.php/estudios/article/view/315|journal=Estudios Latinoamericanos|language=en|volume=4|pages=97–125|doi=10.36447/Estudios1978.v4.art4|issn=0137-3080|doi-access=free}}{{Cite web|date=2018-09-01|title=Interfaith service marks start of Indigenous Heritage month|url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2018/09/01/photos/interfaith-service-marks-start-of-indigenous-heritage-month/|access-date=2021-02-16|website=Stabroek News|language=en-US}}

Contemporary groups

Akawaio (Also known as Acahuayo, Acewaio, Akawai, or Ingariko), Mazaruni River basin and Venezuela[http://www.ethnologue.com/country/GY/languages "Guyana."] Ethnologue. Retrieved 7 Dec 2013.
Island Caribs, known as their mainland counterpart Kalina (Also known as Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kariña, Kari’nja), northeast
Patamona (Also known as Ingarikó), west central, Brazil, and Venezuela
Lokono (Arawak), Guyana, Trinidad, Venezuela
Macushi, Brazil and Guyana
Pemon (Arecuna), upland savannah, Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela
Waiwai, Amazonas, Brazil and Guyana
Wapishana (Also known as Uapixana, Vapidiana, Wapichan, Wapichana, Wapisana, Wapishshiana, Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Wapixana) Brazil and Guyana
Warao (Also known as Guarao, Guarauno, Warau, Warrau), Guyana and Venezuela{{Cite web|title=Indigenous Nations {{!}} Ministry of Amerindian Affairs|url=https://moaa.gov.gy/amerindian-nations/|access-date=2021-02-14|language=en-US}}

Nearby nations that may have had a presence in Guyana

Atorada, southwest and Brazil
Auaké, Brazil and Guyana
Jaoi (Yao), Guyana, Trinidad and Venezuela
Mapidian (also known as Mawayana), southwest
Taruma, Guyana, Brazil, Suriname. Recognised in Maruranau by the Wapishana.{{cite web|url=http://wapichanao.communitylands.org/maror.html |title=Marora Naawa Village |website=Wapichanao @ Community Lands|access-date=31 July 2022}}
Tiriyó{{cite web|url=https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/19857/05.pdf;sequence=10|title=Amotopoan trails : a recent archaeology of Trio movements|page=5|website=University of Leiden|access-date=6 April 2021}}