At the present time...

The Bri Bri have their own language and a rich culture that has existed for thousands of years and remained relatively intact due to outside influences. Today agriculture is the main economic activity of the Bri Bri.

They cultivate a wide variety of approximately 120 different cultures for food, for use as building materials, medicine and trade. Among them, the Bribri use an exchange system, in which women exchange with their neighbors.

The Bri Bri tend to have little education and medical care due to their isolation in the forests, but are self-sufficient in both crops and livestock. One small Bribri tribe, Kekoldi, has only about 200 people.

 

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 Women of the Bri Bri Culture

The women who formed Stibrawpa were looking for ways to build their local economy and provide realistic opportunities for young and adult members of society to stay in their country without having to leave home to look for work.

It was "a desperate call to reclaim our traditions and generate enough income for our families," recalls Stibrawpa board member Prisca Morales. Prisca continues: "In the past, it was time for our men to work on banana plantations, and over time we began to notice that as they grew older their health deteriorated. Often young, and we believe, from exposure to chemicals. We wanted to create a local source of income for them to stay here with their families and lead a healthier lifestyle. "

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ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ...

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Cacao, as in most of the indigenous groups in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama, has a special meaning in the Bribri culture. For them, the cocoa tree used to be a woman and Sibu (God) became a tree. Cacao branches are never used as firewood and only women are allowed to prepare and serve the sacred drink. Cocoa is used on special occasions, ceremonies and in certain rites of passage. Today there are several Bribri women's associations that produce handmade organic chocolate to help them earn a living.

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