Pemon

The Pemón are an indigenous group of the Gran Sabana in Venezuela, with communities also in parts of Brazil and Guyana. They speak the Pemón language, part of the Arawakan language family; most are bilingual in Spanish.

They inhabit the highlands and river valleys of the Gran Sabana, notably around Canaima National Park and Angel Falls (known in Pemón as Kerepakupai merú). Settlements are often along rivers and depend on the seasons for access to resources.

Historically, Pemón subsistence depended on farming, hunting, and gathering. They cultivated manioc, maize, plantains, and other crops, and relied on hunting and fishing in river systems. Crafts such as wood carving and beadwork are important, and social life centers on villages and extended kin networks with ceremonies marking seasonal cycles.

Traditional beliefs focus on spirits and ancestors, with shamans playing a central healing and guiding role in communities. Many Pemón also practice Catholicism or evangelical Christianity, and religious life can combine elements of both systems. Cultural practices and languages are maintained through oral tradition, rituals, and contact with other communities.

Historically, contact with Europeans began during the colonial era, and modern Pemón communities continue to navigate issues of land rights, resource management, and cultural preservation. The region’s status within Canaima National Park and pressures from mining, energy development, and tourism influence land use and the protection of Pemón heritage.