Indigenous territory (Costa Rica)

According to Costa Rica’s 1977 Indigenous Law, the Indigenous Territories are the traditional lands of the legally recognized indigenous peoples of Costa Rica.[1] The Republic of Costa Rica recognizes eight native ethnicities; Bribris, Chorotegas, Malekus, Ngöbe, Huetars, Cabecars, Borucas and Terrabas.[2]

Map of the indigenous territories in Costa Rica

The Law also provides the territories of self-government and autonomy according to the traditional organization of the tribes, yet this is hardly applied.[1] According to the Law all non-indigenous residents with properties in the areas acquired before the promulgation of the Law should be relocated and/or indemnified, and all posterior acquisition of lands is illegal and should be expropriated with no compensation,[1] but this hasn’t been endorsed by Costa Rica’s government.[1] Tension between indigenous and white residents of the areas of Salitre and Cabagra has become violent to the point of mutual aggressions.[3]

Territories

Currently there are 24 officially recognized indigenous territories:

Territory Ethnicity Canton Province Language Year of creation
Térraba Teribe people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Spanish and Teribe 1956
Guatuso Guatuso people Guatuso and San Carlos Alajuela Province Spanish and Maléku 1977
Kéköldi Bribri people Talamanca Limón Province Bribri and Spanish 1977
Quitirrisí Huetar people Mora San José Province Spanish 1979
Matambú Chorotega people Hojancha and Nicoya Guanacaste Province Spanish 1980
Abrojos Montezuma Ngabe people Corredores Puntarenas Province Ngäbere 1980
Coto Brus Ngabe people Coto Brus and Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Ngäbere 1981
Conte Burica Ngabe people Golfito and Corredores Puntarenas Province Ngäbere 1982
Ujarrás Cabécar people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Cabécar 1982
Salitre Bribri people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Bribri and Spanish 1982
Cabagra Bribri people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Bribri and Spanish 1982
Tayní Cabécar people Limón Limón Province Cabécar 1984
Telire Cabécar people Talamanca Limón Province Cabécar 1985
Cabecar Talamanca Cabécar people Talamanca Limón Province Cabécar 1985
Bribri Talamanca Bribri people Talamanca Limón Province Bribri and Spanish 1985
Zapatón Huetar people Puriscal San José Province Spanish 1986
Ngobe-Bugle Ngabe people Golfito and Osa Puntarenas Province Ngäbere 1990
Nairi-Awari Cabécar people Turrialba, Matina and Siquirres Cartago Province
Limón Province		 Cabécar 1991
Bajo Chirripó Cabécar people Turrialba and Limón Cartago Province
Limón Province		 Cabécar 1992
Alto Chirripó Cabécar people Turrialba and Matina Cartago Province
Limón Province		 Cabécar 1993
Curré Brunca people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Boruca 1993
Boruca Brunca people Buenos Aires Puntarenas Province Boruca 1993
China Kichá Cabécar people Pérez Zeledón San José Province Cabécar 2001
Altos de San Antonio Ngabe people Golfito Puntarenas Province Ngäbere 2001

Notes
  1. Schliemann, Christian. "La autonomía de los pueblos indígenas de Costa Rica una contrastación del estándar internacional con la legislación nacional y su implementación". Revista Latinoamericana de Derechos Humanos (in Spanish). n 23 (1) (I Semestre 2012): 23 145. ISSN 1659-4304.
  2. "Indigenous peoples in Costa Rica." International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved 2 Dec 2013.
  3. United Nations. "Naciones Unidas llama a detener violencia en Salitre y a asegurar derechos para habitantes de territorios indigenas". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
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