Present-day country
Colombia
16 nations list Colombia among their present-day countries.
Present-day countries are listed by ISO 3166 names. Many nations live across more than one.
16 nations
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Arhuaco
Also known as Wíntukwa
Lands South-eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Cesar and Magdalena, northern Colombia
The Confederación Indígena Tayrona, the Arhuaco organization founded in 1976, plans to restore the Guatapurí river basin with 18,000 native trees.
Source: Confederación Indígena Tayrona (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Baniwa
Also known as Walimanai
Lands Içana river and the Upper Rio Negro in Amazonas, Brazil, and neighboring Colombia and Venezuela
The Baniwa speak languages of the Arawak family along the Içana river.
Source: Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Barí
Also known as Motilón Barí
Lands Serranía de los Motilones and the Catatumbo and Oro river basins in Norte de Santander, Colombia, and Zulia state, Venezuela
Census counts put the Barí at about 2,841 people in Venezuela in 2011 and 3,018 in Colombia in 2018.
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Emberá
Lands The Emberá-Wounaan comarca and collective lands in Darién and eastern Panama, and the Pacific and Chocó regions of Colombia
Panama's 2023 census counted 51,657 Emberá people.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo (INEC), Panama (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Guna
Also known as Gunadule
Lands Gunayala on Panama's Caribbean coast and islands, plus Madungandí and Wargandí in Panama and communities in northwestern Colombia
Gunayala's 49 communities govern themselves together through the Guna General Congress, their highest political and administrative body for land, resources and education.
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Kággaba
Also known as Kogi
Lands Northern, eastern and western slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in La Guajira, Magdalena and Cesar, Colombia
The Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona serves as the representative body of the Kággaba people's own Indigenous government.
Source: Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Kankuamo
Also known as Kankuamos
Lands South-eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta near Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia, centered on Atánquez
In 2022 UNESCO recognized the ancestral knowledge system shared by the Kankuamo, Arhuaco, Kogui and Wiwa as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Misak
Also known as Guambiano
Lands Resguardos of Guambía and Quisgó in Silvia, Cauca, and nearby municipalities of southwestern Colombia
In 2000 a Misak leader became the first Indigenous person elected by popular vote as governor of Colombia's Cauca department.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Nasa
Also known as Páez
Lands Cauca department, especially Tierradentro and northern Cauca, with communities in Huila, Valle del Cauca, Tolima and Putumayo, Colombia
The Nasa language is Nasa Yuwe. In Colombia's 2005 census, 41.9 percent of Nasa people reported speaking it.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Pasto
Also known as Los Pastos
Lands Highlands of Nariño, Colombia, in municipalities such as Cumbal, Guachucal, Ipiales and Túquerres, and across the border in northern Ecuador
The Pasto are working to recover their identity, oral tradition and ancestral customs, and to strengthen their own law through their cabildos.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Tikuna
Also known as Magüta
Lands Along the upper Solimões (Amazon) river in Amazonas, Brazil, and in neighboring Peru and Colombia
The General Organization of Bilingual Tikuna Teachers (OGPTB), created in December 1986, develops bilingual Tikuna and Portuguese education and teacher training.
Source: Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Wayuu
Also known as Guajiro
Lands The Guajira Peninsula, shared by northern Colombia (La Guajira) and northwestern Venezuela (Zulia)
Colombia's 2018 census counted 380,460 people who identify as Wayuu, up 40.7 percent from 2005.
Source: DANE (National Administrative Department of Statistics, Colombia) (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Wiwa
Also known as Arzario
Lands Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in La Guajira, Cesar and Magdalena, Colombia
Through education policies the Wiwa established an alphabet for Damana, and they are working to have it taught alongside Spanish in schools.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Wounaan
Also known as Waunana
Lands Darién and eastern Panama, including the Emberá-Wounaan comarca and collective lands, and the San Juan River region of Colombia
Wounaan forest technicians map illegal clearing with smartphone apps and GIS, and communities bring that evidence to the Wounaan National Congress.
Source: Yale Environment 360, Yale School of the Environment (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Yanacona
Also known as Yanaconas
Lands The Macizo Colombiano in southern Cauca, with communities in Huila and Valle del Cauca, Colombia
The Yanacona are recovering their identity and culture, including their traditional language, Quechua, and strengthening their cabildo authorities.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
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Yukpa
Lands Sierra de Perijá on both sides of the border: Zulia state, Venezuela, and Cesar department, Colombia
Census counts put the Yukpa at about 10,640 people in Venezuela in 2011 and 3,610 in Colombia in 2018.