World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Venezuela : Yabarana
| Publisher | Minority Rights Group International |
| Publication Date | 2008 |
| Cite as | Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Venezuela : Yabarana, 2008, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/49749c8035.html [accessed 30 June 2017] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Profile
One of the smallest indigenous groups in Venezuela, the Yabarana live along the Paracito River in the southern part of the country.
Historical context
Yabarana have occupied southern Venezuela since the eighteenth century when their numbers were decimated by the poor conditions under which they worked for rubber tappers.
Current issues
Yabarana are threatened by cattle ranching and tourism. Their gardens have been invaded by cattle and they have been forbidden to hunt in land allocated for tourism. To gain legal title to their lands they established the Yabarana Organization of the River Paracito. Still, the Yabarana are very close to extinction if not yet extinct. In the 2001 census, not one person identified as Yabarana; however, 629 people identified as 'other' indigenous groups.
