Bribri Mythology

The Mythology Bribri brings together the following peoples of Central America and the Caribbean: Bribri, Teribe, Cabécar, Boruca, Ngäbe, Maleku

The Bribri are an indigenous people of Costa Rica. They live in the township of Talamanca in the province of Limón in Costa Rica. They speak the Bribri language. the snatches is a Chibchane language. it is related to other local languages, such as teribe, the cabecar, the boruca, the ngäbe and the maleku.

The social structure of the Bribri people is organized in clans. Each clan is made up of an extended family. The clan system is matrilineal; that is, a child's clan is determined by the clan to which its mother belongs.

This gives women a very important place in Bribri society because they are the only ones able to inherit the land and prepare the sacred cocoa drink (Theobroma cacao) essential for their rituals. Men's roles are often exclusive and defined by their clan. Examples of these roles are the “awa” or shaman, and the “oko”, the only person allowed to touch the remains of the dead, sing funeral songs and prepare food consumed at funerals.

There are eight sacred professions: King's successor, traditional doctor, chocolate maker, guardian of the sacred stone, forensic doctor, master of ceremonies, king, singer. Each of these sacred professions is declined in clan, each clan being responsible for one of these sacred professions. However, some of these professions no longer exist.