Beneficiaries
The population of the region of Maniapure
is of approximately 6,000 people, of which it is estimated that
40% are indigenous "Panares" and 60% rural creoles ("criollos").
THE CREOLES
The creoles began to populate this region around 1910. They arrived
to the region from other states of the country, attracted by the
exploitation of the "sarrapia" and of the "balatá".
Their conditions of life are similar to those of the Panares. Their
houses in general are located in dispersed villages. They are constructed
with wood sticks, mud ("bahareque"), small portals, roofs of zinc
and floor of wet soil. Some have houses made of construction blocks
with floors of cement. Except for some, they don't have toilets.
Their sources of water are the rivers, they cultivate some crops
and have some domestic animals. A minority has some livestock in
little quantity and manufacture cheese for the family consumption
and for sale.
THE PANARES
The Panares (E'ñepá) populate the area that extends throughout the
mid course of the Orinoco river.
The economy of subsistence of the Panares is based on the agriculture
of pruning and burns, fishing, hunting and gathering. Their natural
environment provides them three different habitats: the savanna,
the rivers and the forests. From these, the forests are those that
provide them with most of resources and it is there that they build
their small farms ("conucos") and they carry out most of the hunting.
Up until around thirty years ago, the rivers provided them great
quantities of fish, which are an important source of proteins. However,
nowadays fish and animal populations have decreased and hunting
and fishing cannot fullfil their needs.
The Panares have conducted economical exchanges with the creoles
for approximately one century. At the present time, the Panares
purchase from creoles a great variety of goods, like steel tools,
bicycles, rifles, fabrics, clothes, sugar, salt, rice, thread, pots,
knives and machetes, among others.
In the majority of the indigenous communities there are elementary
schools from 1st to 3rd grade, managed by indigenous teachers. The
classes are dictated in Panare language and the academic program
has been approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
