Indigenous peoples in Suriname

Common card · No. 484114

The Indigenous peoples in Suriname or Native Surinamese are the various Indigenous peoples native to the territory of present-day Suriname. The four most numerous Indigenous peoples are the Kaliña (Carib), Lokono (Arawak), Tiriyó (Trio) and Wayana. Smaller Indigenous peoples, mainly in the interior of the country, include the Akurio, Warao, Apalaí, Wai-wai, Mawayana and several others. According to the 2012 census, 20,344 people, or 3.8% of the population, identified as Indigenous. The Kaliña and Lokono live mainly in northern Suriname, while the Tiriyó, Wayana and other Amazonian Indigenous peoples predominantly inhabit the interior in the south. Indigenous peoples inhabited the territory before European colonisation and played a significant role in the early colonial history of Suriname. Contemporary issues affecting Indigenous communities include access to public services, exploitation of natural resources and the legal recognition of collective rights to traditional lands.

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