Total population | |
---|---|
(2,721 (2006)) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Brazil (Rondônia) | |
Languages | |
Wari’ | |
Religion | |
traditional tribal religion |
The Wari', also known as the Pakaa Nova, are an indigenous people of Brazil, living in seven villages in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Rondônia. Their first contact with European settlers was on the shores of the Pakaa Nova River, a tributary of the Mamoré River. Many of them live within the Sagarana Indigenous Territory.
Europeans at one time used the name "Pakaa Nova" to refer to the Wari', because they encountered the indigenous people near there. The people prefer to be referred to as "Wari'", their term in their language meaning "we, people." They are also known as the Jaru, Oro Wari, Pacaas-Novos, Pacahanovo, Pakaanova, Pakaanovas, Uari, and Uomo.
The Wari' speak the Pakaásnovos language, which belongs to the Txapakura, or Chapacura-Wanham language family. Parts of the Bible were translated into their language from 1975 to 1984.
Along with the Torá, the Moré (or Itenes) and the Oro Win, the Wari' are the last of the Txapakura language linguistic group. Other groups were exterminated by Europeans or neo-Brazilians.
Up until the 19th century, the Wari' were present in the Amazon's Southeast, namely the basin of the Lage river (a right-bank-tributary river of the Mamoré River), the Ouro Preto river, the Gruta and Santo André creeks, the Negro river (all tributaries of the lower and middle courses of the right bank of the Pakaa Nova river), and the Ribeirão and Novo rivers (tributaries of the left bank of the Pakaa Nova river).
In the early 20th century, continuous incursions by neo-Brazilians in search of rubber trees forced the Wari' to relocate to the less accessible headwaters of the Mamoré River. They were confined in that area until the pacification. Today, they live in seven settlements located in the state of Rondônia, Brazil.