MIGRATION AND SOCIOECONOMIC INTEGRATION: VENEZUELAN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF WARAO ETHNICITY IN A SITUATION OF VULNERABILITY IN PARAÍBA

Abstract

The Warao, located in Venezuela, are one of the oldest ethnic groups in the region, with their ancestors inhabiting the territory long before the Venezuelan nation was formed. Today, the Warao represent the second largest indigenous ethnic group in the country, with their own language, homonymous to the ethnic group, as well as varying levels of fluency in Spanish. Faced with the political, economic and humanitarian crisis that has shaken Venezuela in recent decades, many Venezuelans, including indigenous people of different ethnicities, have begun to migrate to other countries. Among them, some Waraos were brought to Paraíba through the federal government's internalization program, which aims to integrate refugees who initially arrived in Roraima. This study aims to understand the current situation of the Warao refugees in the state of Paraíba. From a methodological point of view, the research adopts a qualitative approach, seeking an in-depth analysis of the cultural and social conditions of this group. To collect data, an online questionnaire was developed and applied to Warao migrants and professionals who work to support these refugees. The interviews revealed difficulties faced by the Waraos in adapting to urban life, which go beyond territorial issues and are also related to cultural differences. Although many of them had already lived in urban areas, their origins in rural communities focused on agriculture and with traditional ways of life represent a challenge for their integration into this environment.

Keywords

• refugees
• indigenous peoples
• warao
• paraíba
• migrants