Patamona people

History

Pottery was traded for cassava graters made by other Carib groups up until the 20th century.

The region was exploited until recently for suitable farm lands, hunting and fishing. The Patamona were not contacted until the early 19th century.

To this day, the Patamona people call themselves the People of the Heavens, whose remnants of their culture survive in Paramakatoi, as well as nearby Kaieteur Falls.

Villages

In Guyana, residents of Paramakatoi and some other villages are literate in English and Patamona. Other villages with Patamona populations include Campbelltown, Micobie, Monkey Mountain, Princeville, and Kato.

Orinduik is a Patamona village along the Maú River.

In Brazil, the Patamona have a minority presence in Raposa Serra do Sol.

Culture

Kaieteur Falls is an important cultural site for the Patamona people. Kaieteur Falls has been named after Old Kaie, a member of the Patamona tribe. In their animist religion the Patamona believe in Knaima, a spirit that possesses people and turns them into evil beings.

Common agricultural products include bitter cassava, yam, sweet potato, sugarcane, chili pepper, squash. Bitter cassava is used to make kasiri and pajuaru. Kasiri is a lightly fermented cassava drink consumed at breakfast, while pajuaru has a longer fermentation and is a festive drink. Fish are often eaten, and can be dry smoked.

Culinary practices are similar to other Indigenous people of the region, including preparation of the Guyanese pepperpot, called tuma in Patamona. Food is also steamed by packaging them in leaves and setting them beside a fire. They also gather wild mushrooms for consumption, including amanita perphaea (or pulutukwe), Cookeina (agubana), Lentinula boryana (kapiokwok) and certain clavulina also known as kunmudlutse and tepurumeng.

References

References

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2. [https://www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/jlu/ciel/pages/patamona.htm Patamona.] {{Webarchive. link. (2021-09-30 Caribbean Indigenous and Endangered Languages Project. University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica.)
3. "Collections Online {{!}} British Museum".
4. (2013). "Dynamic processes in the use of natural resources and food systems by Indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico and Brazil".
5. (19 June 2015). "Indigenous peoples of Guyana".
6. (March 2017). "Pakaraima bound".
7. Joanna Dhanraj. (12 January 2021). "Micobie".
8. (28 September 2012). "Magnificent Monkey Mountain".
9. "Campbelltown-Princeville residents petition for removal of Village Council".
10. (1 November 2015). "Stranger in Kato".
11. "Terra Indígena Raposa Serra do Sol".
12. (August 2025). "Amerindian nations".
13. "Kanaima".
14. (2004). "Edible mushrooms from Guyana". Mycologist.