Панама мен Коста-Риканың Насо-Терибе халқы

Indigenous people of northwestern Panama and parts of Costa Rica
infobox ethnic group|
| group = NasoTeribe
| image = Nazo Teribo. gif
| image caption = Location of Naso people
| population = 3,005
| popplace = ,
| rels =
| langs = Teribe, Spanish Until as recently as three or four generations ago the Naso people led a remarkably autonomous existence. Dispersed among their clans and homesteads, and geographically isolated from most of the world, the Naso developed and nurtured their cultural self sufficiency through the idiom and the institution of the family.

The Térraba, or Teribe, are an indigenous group in the Puntarenas region of southern Costa Rica with a rich cultural heritage. Located on approximately 34.7 square miles (9,000 hectares) along the Térraba River, the Térraba have survived off the land for more than 500 years. The river called Grande de Térraba is the largest river in Costa Rica, in the province of Puntarenas, also known as River “Diquís” that in their native dialect means “great water.” A significant part of the Térraba nation is living along the shores of the said river. The Térraba are a warrior people that trace its roots back to the pre Columbian Chiriquí civilization that dominated Costa Rica. The Térraba have a deeply spiritual relationship with the land and, especially, water. When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the early 1500s, they found Costa Rica to be a harsh country with few resources to exploit. In comparison to other pre colonial civilizations, there were few indigenous to use for labor. The Spanish brought Catholicism and smallpox, and many tribes were not able to survive both. Despite Spanish influence, the Térraba can trace their history back to specific events as early as the 1600s. The Térraba were able to maintain their culture, traditions and language in spite of the Spanish occupation and Catholic influence. They have recorded an extensive oral history to preserve it for future generations.

The traditional language, Teribe, is only spoken by a handful of people in the community. However, the efforts to recover it are supported by the Teribe of Panama, another group that shares its culture and history with the Térraba of Costa Rica. The Panamanian community has been able to entirely maintain the native language, and has assisted the smaller Costa Rican community by sending a professor to the area to help teach the language. Historians cannot tell why and how those native tribes visited Cocos Island. However, Heyerdahl (1966) and Lines (1940) support the old statement of (Gonzalo Fernandez de) Oviedo regarding such early visits. (See more under Timeline.) The work of Arroyo (1966) is probably the best linguistic work and dictionary of the Térraba language but more recent publications may exist. For a short bibliography on the Térraba language please refer to The Newberry Library’s Indian Linguistics in the Edward E. Ayer collection, Volume 2.

The Naso, who now live in the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, are for the most part very poor subsistence farmers who supplement their earnings with the sale of the agricultural products (cocoa, oranges, plantains, etc. ), animals (pigs, chickens, ducks, etc. ), lumber (Cordia alliodora, Cedrela odorata, etc.) and some handicrafts which they transport to the relatively nearby city of Changuinola (population 30,000, two hours down river by raft or dugout canoe). While the Naso are isolated in geographic terms and receive few visitors to their communities, they are for the most part bilingual (Naso and Spanish), wear Western clothing, and many among them have converted to evangelical Protestant religions. The Costa Rica branch has been successful in gaining United Nations financial support to build tourism facilities including hostel/cabin housing with plumbing and improvement to trails.

The enormous scientific, hydroelectric and eco tourism potential of the Naso people’s ancestral territory has attracted considerable international and national interest. Beginning in the 1980s the Government of Panama transferred large sections of the region to its own system of protected areas (Palo Seco National Forest (BBPS) and La Amistad International Park (PILA). In the year 2005, three major conservation and development projects were proposing to significantly reorganize local land use activities. These included a new law to recognize Naso territorial rights and jurisdiction in the Panamanian National Assembly, a World Bank funded Biological Corridor project (CBMAP) promoting sustainable development in indigenous communities and protected areas, and a hydroelectric project sponsored by a Colombian utility company (Empresas Públicas de Medellín). In Costa Rica, Térraba lands are threatened by the Diquís Dam project, which would flood 10 percent of the land including important sacred sites and which would force the relocation of the approximately 600 indigenous Naso who live in the country.

The tribe is governed by a king. The succession, according to tradition, would follow from the king to his brother, to the older son of the previous king. Since the 1980s, succession is based on the vote of the adult population. Typically, when there is a sense within the community that there is dissatisfaction with the current king (or sometimes queen, for instance queen Rufina), another member of the royal family may choose to stand for a public vote to see if they can replace the current king. In 2004 King Tito was deposed following his approval of a hydro electric scheme on the Bonyic River which traverses Naso territory. He was deposed in a civil uprising in the capital Siey Llik and forced into exile. His uncle is now considered the King of Naso by the majority of the tribe, although this state of affairs is yet to be recognized by the Panamanian Government.

The Térraba describe themselves as a matriarchal community. They pride themselves on their rich agriculture and their independence. Most of the inhabitants in Panama speak the native language, although the majority also know Spanish. Very few of the Naso tribes adhere to Roman Catholicism. The Seventh day Adventist Church, is very important. The traditional God is Sibö, who is a supreme God and creator. Most Naso live in elevated wooden houses, with thatched or zinc coated roofing. In Costa Rica, few native speakers remain, mostly elders. Intermarriage between the Costa Rica and Panama groups has brought some fluent speakers to live in the Costa Rica territories. As of 2012, the community in Costa Rica has brought in a teacher from Panama to reintroduce the language in the village schools.