Safekipedia

Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

The Avenue of the Dead with the Pyramid of the Sun in the background at Teotihuacán, an ancient city in Mexico.

The Indigenous peoples of the Americas have many different groups. Each group has its own languages, traditions, and ways of life. People have tried to sort these groups into bigger areas called cultural regions. These areas are based on where the groups lived when Europeans and Africans first arrived in the late 1500s. Even if a group was moved far away by governments, they are still linked to the place where their ancestors lived long ago.

Some groups live in more than one cultural region. This shows how connected these areas can be. Besides geography, people also look at things like family ties, tools and technology, and how groups organize themselves to understand these cultures better. Learning about these groups helps us appreciate the rich history and diversity of the Americas.

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

Mexico and Mesoamerica

The regions of Oasisamerica, Aridoamerica, and Mesoamerica cover many countries and their borders overlap.

Aridoamerica

Main article: Aridoamerica

Aridoamerica includes many groups such as the Acaxee, Aranama, Coahuiltecan, Chichimeca, Cochimí, Cocopa, and Huichol. These groups lived in areas like Texas, northern Mexico, Baja California, and other nearby regions.

Map of Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is home to groups like the Amuzgos, Nahua, Chatinos, Cora people, Huastec, Huave, Lenca, and the Maya. The Maya lived in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and had many smaller groups within their culture, such as the Itzá, Lacandon, Mopan, and Yucatec Maya. Other groups in this area included the Mazatec, Mixe, Mixtec, Olmec, Pipil, Purépecha, and many more.

Circum-Caribbean

Further information: Isthmo-Colombian Area

Partially organized per Handbook of South American Indians.

Caribbean

Anthropologist Julian Steward described the Antilles cultural area, which includes all of the Antilles and Bahamas, except for Trinidad and Tobago.

Cultural regions of South and Central America at the time of contact (in Spanish)

Central America

The Central American culture area includes part of El Salvador, most of Honduras, all of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and some peoples on or near the Pacific coasts of Colombia and Ecuador.

Colombia and Venezuela

The Colombia and Venezuela culture area includes most of Colombia and Venezuela. Southern Colombia is in the Andean culture area, as are some peoples of central and northeastern Colombia, who are surrounded by peoples of the Colombia and Venezuela culture. Eastern Venezuela is in the Guianas culture area, and southeastern Colombia and southwestern Venezuela are in the Amazonia culture area.

  • Abibe, northwestern Colombia
  • Aburrá, central Colombia
  • Achagua (Axagua), eastern Colombia, western Venezuela
  • Agual, western Colombia
  • Amaní, central Colombia
  • Ancerma, western Colombia
  • Andaqui (Andaki), Huila Department, Colombia
  • Andoque, Andoke, southeastern Colombia
  • Antiochia, Colombia
  • Arbi, western Colombia
  • Arma, western Colombia
  • Atunceta, western Colombia
  • Auracana, northeastern Colombia
  • Buriticá, western Colombia
  • Caquetio, western Venezuela
  • Calamari, northwestern Colombia
  • Calima culture, western Colombia, 200 BCE–400 CE
  • Caramanta, western Columbia
  • Carate, northeastern Colombia
  • Carare, northeastern Colombia
  • Carex, northwestern Colombia
  • Cari, western Colombia
  • Carrapa, western Colombia
  • Cartama, western Colombia
  • Cauca, western Colombia
  • Corbago, northeastern Colombia
  • Cosina, northeastern Colombia
  • Catio, northwestern Colombia
  • Cenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Cenufaná, northwestern Colombia
  • Chanco, western Colombia
  • Coanoa, northeastern Colombia
  • Cuiba, east Colombia west Venezuela
  • Cuica, western Venezuela
  • Cumanagoto, eastern Venezuela
  • Evéjito, western Colombia
  • Fincenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Gorrón, western Colombia
  • Guahibo (Guajibo), eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela
  • Guambía, western Colombia
  • Guanes, Colombia, pre-Columbian culture
  • Guanebucan, northeastern Colombia
  • Guazuzú, northwestern Colombia
  • Hiwi, western Colombia, eastern Venezuela
  • Jamundí, western Colombia
  • Kari'ña, eastern Venezuela
  • Kogi, northern Colombia
  • Lile, western Colombia
  • Lache, central Colombia
  • Mariche, central Venezuela
  • Mompox, northwestern Colombia
  • Motilone, northeastern Colombia and western Venezuela
  • Naura, central Colombia
  • Nauracota, central Colombia
  • Noanamá (Waunana, Huaunana, Woun Meu), northwestern Colombia and Panama
  • Nutabé, northwestern Colombia
  • Opón, northeastern Colombia
  • Pacabueye, northwestern Colombia
  • Pancenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Patángoro, central Colombia
  • Paucura, western Colombia
  • Pemed, northwestern Colombia
  • Pequi people, western Colombia
  • Picara people, western Colombia
  • Pozo, western Colombia
  • Pumé (Yaruro), Venezuela
  • Quimbaya, central Colombia, 4th–7th centuries CE
  • Quinchia, western Colombia
  • Sutagao, central Colombian
  • Tahamí, northwestern Colombia
  • Tairona, northern Colombia, pre-Columbian culture, 1st–11th centuries CE
  • Tamalameque, northwestern Colombia
  • Mariche, central Venezuela
  • Timba, western Colombia
  • Timote, western Venezuela
  • Tinigua, Caquetá Department, Colombia
  • Tolú, northwestern Colombia
  • Toro, western Colombia
  • Tupe, northeastern Colombia
  • Turbaco people, northwestern Colombia
  • Urabá, northwestern Colombia
  • Urezo, northwestern Colombia
  • U'wa, eastern Colombia, western Venezuela
  • Waikerí, eastern Venezuela
  • Wayuu (Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro), northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela
  • Wirö (Mako, Itoto, Marueta, or Jojod), western Venezuela and northeastern Colombia
  • Xiriguana, northeastern Colombia
  • Yamicí, northwestern Colombia
  • Yapel, northwestern Colombia
  • Yarigui, northeastern Colombia
  • Yukpa, Yuko, northeastern Colombia
  • Zamyrua, northeastern Colombia
  • Zendagua, northwestern Colombia
  • Zenú, northwestern Colombia, pre-Columbian culture, 200 BCE–1600 CE
  • Zopia, western Colombia

Guianas

This area includes parts of Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. It also covers areas in the Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, and Roraima regions of Brazil.

Many different groups of people lived here, each with their own language and traditions. Some of these groups include the Acuria, Akawaio, Arhuaco, Auaké, Baniwa, Baré, Carib, Chaima, Cumanagoto, Hixkaryána, Hodï, Ingarikó, Jaoi, Kali'na, Lokono, Macushi, Maipure, Mapoyo, Marawan, Orealla, Palikur, Patamona, Pemon, Piapoco, Piaroa, Sanumá, Shebayo, Sikiana, Tamanaco, Tiriyó, Wai-Wai, Wapishana, Warao, Wayana, Ya̧nomamö, and Ye'kuana.

Eastern Brazil

This region includes parts of the Ceará, Goiás, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, and Santa Catarina states of Brazil. Many different groups of Indigenous people lived here long ago. Each group had its own language and traditions. Some of these groups include the Apinajé, Arara, Atikum, Bororo, Botocudo, Guató, Kadiwéu, Kaingang, Karajá, Kaxixó, Kayapo, Ofayé, Parakatêjê, Pataxó, Potiguara, Tabajara, Tapirapé, Terena, Tupiniquim, Umutina, Xakriabá, Xavánte, Xerénte, and Xucuru. These groups had their own ways of life and stories. They helped make the history of the area rich and interesting.

Andes

Main article: Andes § Human activity

The Andes region had many groups of people who lived there long ago. Some of these groups include the Awa-Kwaiker in northern Ecuador and southern Colombia, the Aymara in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, and the big Inca Empire that was based in Peru. There were also many smaller cultures and traditions, like the Capulí culture in Ecuador and the Tiwanaku culture in Bolivia.

Other groups lived along the Pacific coast and lowlands. These include the Atacameño in Chile, the Chimú in northern coastal Peru, and the Nazca culture in southern coastal Peru. Each of these groups had their own ways of living and traditions.

Amazon

Main article: Amazon basin

Northwestern Amazon

This region includes Amazonas in Brazil; the Amazonas and Putumayo Departments in Colombia; Cotopaxi, Los Rios, Morona-Santiago, Napo, and Pastaza Provinces and the Oriente Region in Ecuador; and the Loreto Region in Peru.

Eastern Amazon

This region includes Amazonas, Maranhão, and parts of Pará States in Brazil.

Southern Amazon

This region includes southern Brazil (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, parts of Pará, and Rondônia) and Eastern Bolivia (Beni Department).

Southwestern Amazon

This region includes the Cuzco, Huánuco Junín, Loreto, Madre de Dios, and Ucayali Regions of eastern Peru, parts of Acre, Amazonas, and Rondônia, Brazil, and parts of the La Paz and Beni Departments of Bolivia.

Gran Chaco

Main article: Gran Chaco

Approximate region of the Gran Chaco

The Gran Chaco is a big area that includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. Many Indigenous groups have lived in this region for a very long time. Some of these groups are the Abipón, Ayoreo, Chamacoco, Chané, Chiquitano, Chorote, Guana, Guaraní, Guaycuru peoples, Kaiwá, Lengua people, Lulé, Maká, Nivaclé, Sanapaná, Vilela, and Wichí.

Southern Cone

Main article: Southern Cone

Patagonian languages at the time of European/African contact

The Southern Cone is a region at the bottom of South America. Many Indigenous groups lived there long before Europeans arrived. Some of these groups have special names, like the Aché in Paraguay or the Mapuche in parts of Argentina and Chile. Others, like the Chaná, are no longer around today.

Some groups lived near the water, such as the Yaghan near Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands. Each group had its own ways of living and speaking, making the Southern Cone a place of rich cultural history.

Languages

Main article: Indigenous languages of the Americas

The Indigenous languages of the Americas are spoken by Indigenous peoples from the southern tip of South America up to Alaska and Greenland. These languages are very different from each other. Some are in danger of disappearing, and a few have already been lost.

Writing

Before Europeans arrived, many Indigenous peoples in North America used symbols to share ideas. For example, the Anishinaabewibii'iganan created special marks, and the Mi'kmaw used hieroglyphs. In South America, the Inca used a system called Quipu for counting.

After Europeans came, new writing systems were created for Indigenous languages. These include Canadian syllabics, the Cherokee syllabary, and Osage script.

Genetic classification

Main article: Genetic history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Further information: Y-DNA haplogroups in Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Scientists study DNA to learn about the history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. One important part is called Haplogroup Q. This type of DNA helps show how groups changed over time.

The first people came to the Americas from Asia across the Bering Sea. They stayed in a place called Beringia for a long time before moving south. Different groups in places like South America and the far north have unique DNA patterns. This helps us understand how people settled these lands long ago.

Empires

Some large groups of Indigenous peoples formed powerful empires before Europeans arrived in the Americas. These include the Aztec Empire, which lasted from 1428 to 1521, and the Inca Empire, from 1438 to 1572. Other notable empires were the Purépecha Empire, the Toltec Empire, the Tiwanaku Empire, and the Wari Empire.

Later, after Europeans arrived, the area known as Comancheria from 1770 to 1850 was also sometimes called an empire by scholars.

Civilizations

These complex societies built big cities before Europeans came.

Technological and social periods

Further information: List of archaeological periods (North America), List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica), and Periodization of pre-Columbian Peru)

Long ago, some places in the Americas started growing crops, which was very important for people everywhere.

People in the Americas went through different stages of growth and change. These stages are:

  • Lithic stage or Paleo-Indian - people who hunted and gathered food using stone tools
  • Archaic stage - people began to settle in one place, grow crops, and live off the land
  • Formative stage - people made pottery, wove cloth, farmed, and built special places for ceremonies
  • Classic stage - people made metal tools, did special crafts, built cities, and had leaders
  • Post-Classic stage - people made better metal tools, built big cities, and had less religious rule

In North America, later stages are called the Woodland period and Mississippian culture.

Some cultures in the Americas made tools from metals like copper and bronze. For example, in North America, people worked with copper in places like the Old Copper complex, Hopewellian exchange, and Mississippian culture. In the Andes, people made bronze tools, starting with the Moche culture and later used by the Calchaquí and Inca. In Mesoamerica, metal working began after 600 CE.

People in the Americas did not make iron tools like people in Eurasia did, but they did use pieces of iron from ships that wrecked on their coasts for things like mirrors, decorations, and small tools.

Further information: List of pre-Columbian inventions and innovations of Indigenous Americans

Images

Map showing the traditional cultural areas of indigenous peoples in North America.
A map showing the different cultural areas and languages of early Native American tribes in the United States.
A map showing the early Indian languages spoken in Alaska, highlighting the rich cultural history of Indigenous peoples in the region.

Related articles

Tukudeka
Mountain Sheep Eaters
Kammitikka
Ruby Valley
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
Ahwahnechee

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.