A FORGOTTEN PEOPLE
THE YUKPA
The Yukpa, today settle in the vicinity of Las Industrias de Barquisimeto-Venezuela avenue, where according to them; soon there will be more.
110 families live there. Makeshift houses with sticks, wooden boards and bags. In which people are distributed from a small community that does not have a defined hierarchical order contrary to what history tells about its social organization. Alfonso is the one who “puts order”, in no way is he the representative of the group (but not the boss), I couldn't meet him because he was working. Evencio was the one who received me, one of the few who speaks Spanish fluently. With 30 years of age and 6 children in charge of him; something that may seem crazy in these times, but for him it is not.
“We have been here for more than a year, we came from La Sierra de Perijá because there is nothing there; no food, no work, everything is a problem. Here, the government comes from time to time and helps us with food, they promised us land and houses, well, we are waiting for that. People also pass by and help us, they give us food and clothes. I work making hats like many here, daily they sell between 1 and 3 (1000Bsf-200Bsf each depending on the size). Others go to clean windows or ask at traffic lights. We are fine, we are better than in the Sierra de Perijá”.
Better than in the Sierra?
According to history, the Yukpa people are a community that is dedicated to practicing agriculture, hunting with arrows, harpoon fishing, gathering and ranching. The men dedicate time to hunting tasks as well as to making the instruments for it and the women attend to the planting and care of the orchard. Today, I saw a community in complete neglect, forced to leave their lands due to lack of opportunities, illegal mining and a real lack of will from governments to support our indigenous peoples. Living in unhealthy conditions, in makeshift shacks, exposed to the entire reality of the country that has hit us so hard. They left their lands, their culture to somehow enter ours, but without having the necessary tools to deal with our way of life.
