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Men
Traditional responsibilities for Guaymi men tend to revolve around agriculture and hunting. They clear land, sow crops, weed and harvest the fields, and raise cattle and horses. The men are also responsible for chopping firewood. When large projects need to be done, the men will organize cooperative groups known as juntas. Men who organize a junta are then expected to assist those who aided him with an equivalent amount of labor. It is also common for the men to leave the reservation to work commercial coffee plantations during the harvest season. Political and ritual dealings are traditionally the role of the man. Women The primary responsibilities for women include cooking, cleaning, and caring for children. They also must fetch water, harvest and gather food on a daily basis, and make clothing. Women will also assist with planting and harvesting the fields. Though men tend to wield the most power in political and ritual matters, elderly women are regarded with much respect. |
Learn More About the Guaymi/Ngäbe
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Villages
Guaymi villages or pueblos are made up of six to eight homes. The chief is the senior male in the pueblo. His male children and their families make up the remainder of the group. Pueblos tend to be spaced a kilometer or more apart. It is becoming more common for larger pueblos to exist due to a lack of land and the influence from contact with the outside world.
Land is collectively owned by family groups. Rights to the land are controlled by the senior male in the group. Traditionally, when a man cleared a piece of property, a man gained the rights to that property. His family would then be entitled to the property.
Guaymi live in small homes with dirt floors. Historically, these homes were round in shape, with stick walls and a thatch roof. Today it is much more common to have wooden walls with tin roofs, though on occasion you will seeprefabricated concrete homes.
Marriage
The traditional purpose of marriage for the Guaymi was to create social and political bonds between pueblos. A man would give his daughter to the man of another pueblo with the understanding that that man’s sister would marry his wife’s brother in return. There was no ceremony, only an understanding acknowledged by all involved.
While not common, polygamous marriages were not unheard of and still occur today. Men who had the wealth to support more than one wife were welcome to marry as many women as he wished. Oftentimes, men would marry sisters. Once a second (or third, etc) wife’s son reached adulthood and married it was common for the wife to leave her husband and join her son and his wife.
Legal Matters
The Guaymi are self governing. Disputes between Guaymi individuals often arise over land use, cattle or crops. Theft and alcohol related crime is also common in some areas. Violent crime is rare, though domestic violence is not unheard of. To settle these issues, it is normal for those in dispute to choose a tribal leader who is well respected and known for his mediation skill. The mediator will give his judgment and if both sides are satisfied, the judgment stands but the dispute can be revisited at a later date. Outside authorities are rarely involved with reservation matters.
Guaymi villages or pueblos are made up of six to eight homes. The chief is the senior male in the pueblo. His male children and their families make up the remainder of the group. Pueblos tend to be spaced a kilometer or more apart. It is becoming more common for larger pueblos to exist due to a lack of land and the influence from contact with the outside world.
Land is collectively owned by family groups. Rights to the land are controlled by the senior male in the group. Traditionally, when a man cleared a piece of property, a man gained the rights to that property. His family would then be entitled to the property.
Guaymi live in small homes with dirt floors. Historically, these homes were round in shape, with stick walls and a thatch roof. Today it is much more common to have wooden walls with tin roofs, though on occasion you will seeprefabricated concrete homes.
Marriage
The traditional purpose of marriage for the Guaymi was to create social and political bonds between pueblos. A man would give his daughter to the man of another pueblo with the understanding that that man’s sister would marry his wife’s brother in return. There was no ceremony, only an understanding acknowledged by all involved.
While not common, polygamous marriages were not unheard of and still occur today. Men who had the wealth to support more than one wife were welcome to marry as many women as he wished. Oftentimes, men would marry sisters. Once a second (or third, etc) wife’s son reached adulthood and married it was common for the wife to leave her husband and join her son and his wife.
Legal Matters
The Guaymi are self governing. Disputes between Guaymi individuals often arise over land use, cattle or crops. Theft and alcohol related crime is also common in some areas. Violent crime is rare, though domestic violence is not unheard of. To settle these issues, it is normal for those in dispute to choose a tribal leader who is well respected and known for his mediation skill. The mediator will give his judgment and if both sides are satisfied, the judgment stands but the dispute can be revisited at a later date. Outside authorities are rarely involved with reservation matters.
