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Costa Rica’s Bribrí Indigenous Community has lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years, living in the Huetar Atlantic Region, in the territories of Talamanca and Kekoldi – Cocles, in the Talamanca canton, Limón province, and the Brunca region in Cabagra and Salitre Territories, in Buenos Aires canton, Puntarenas province. At present some 10,000 individuals 
Bribrís are settled in that territory, being in the Talamanca Bribrí Territory inhabited by the indigenous majority around 6467.
In general, the Bribrís have retained their native language, both orally and in writing. The most important activity is agriculture, especially cocoa and bananas, but also has corn, beans and tubers. As a result of this agricultural society, the community has developed a barter system practiced primarily by women of the tribe. They are also dedicated to raising pigs, hunting birds and fishing. Its most important handicrafts are basketry and musical instruments manufacture, which use a variety of natural elements. Also in the production of various crafts with natural materials like “jícara”, “cabuya”, “pita”, and other natural dyes, are various traditional techniques, designs and shapes that reflect their cultural background and living in harmony with nature.
Because of its isolated situation, in relation to major civilization centers, some Bribrís have opted to take identity cards both Panamanian and Costa Rican, making it easier to obtain medical help in an emergency in both countries. An interesting element of this ethnic group is that their houses (usually on wooden stilts and roofed with leaves) stand far apart from each other, that because the Bribrís appreciate their independence. It is not uncommon that a Bribrí home is an hour’s from the nearest next house.
Because they are virtually the only Indian society in Costa Rica that retains its own identity, but fully integrated to nationality in all its aspects, has attracted special interest by the state, particularly in the areas of health, education and protection to indigenous values. In fact, in theirs region are heard a cultural radio station that broadcasts programs in the Bribrí language and also circulating a newspaper written entirely in their language. The Bribrí folk manifestations are interestingly during the celebrations within their cultural-religious context,
preserved by them for centuries. The Bribrís practices an animist religion based on an indigenous shamanism, being one of the oldest religions still practiced in Costa Rica. Their beliefs are based on the cult of Sibú and the Bribrí society structuring in clan.
The University of Costa Rica, through its cultural and linguistic organizations, is concerned for preparing a grammar and spelling text in Bribrí language, which has been an invaluable aid in the preparation of the staff that works with indigenous people. Bribrí language is a tonal language spoken by the Bribrí community belonging to the “chibchense“ linguistic family, that why is related to other local languages such as the Teribe, the Cabécar, the Boruca, the Guaymí and the Maleku. Like many other American languages, the number of Bribrí speakers is clearly declining. According to the national census conducted in 2000, only 60% of the Bribrí population is native speakers of the language, it is estimated that the total number of Bribrís speakers is about 6.000 individuals.
The Bribrí was always an oral language and which did not have writing itself until the U.S. linguist based in Costa Rica, Jack Wilson, began a systematic adaptation of the Latin alphabet (as used to represent the signs of the Costa Rican Spanish) aims to represent primary teaching and research the Bribrí sounds, using authors date back to the late nineteenth century. The Wilson task was completed by the also linguist Adolfo Constenla. The signs of the alphabet plotted to phonemes or part of a phoneme. In Bribrí, as in most languages, phonemes are usually carried out in three different ways together: vowels, consonants and semi-consonants. The symbols used to express graphically the vowels are: a, e, e, i, o, o, u, a, e, i, o, u. Those which are used to express the consonants are: b, ch, d, j, k, l, m, n, n, n, p, r, s, t and the ones used to express the semi-consonants are: w and i. Due to the chosen system for the graphical representation, some symbols can represent different sounds. At the time that this post was writing, the Bribrí is the only Costa Rican indigenous language which is taught at public universities in the country.
Museums offer more than samples of art, history and science to every place, because those visitors may also participate in workshops, concerts and plays. Costa Rica has a rich history that is well represented in its museums with objects and findings since the pre-Columbian times with their customs, traditions and handicrafts, made in gold, jade and stone, until the conquests time, the colonial time and even the present time. Most are located in the Central Valley, but are equally throughout the country.
at a moment in which liberal ideas and principles of peace, progress and education material, characterized the society of 1880, where the laws related to education and the creation of cultural institutions prompted the birth of the museum. As an institution the museum belonged to the Development Ministry, to the University of Costa Rica and then again to the Education Ministry so that finally in the 1970s, became part of the Ministry of Culture and Youth.
1870 and in 1876 purchased the Costa Rican educator Don Mauro Fernández. The property was vacant from 1910 to 1914. In 1914 the government of Alfredo González Flores purchased it for the purpose of using it as barracks. In 1948 it stopped to serve as barracks, this is when the army was abolished as a permanent institution, and it became an education and cultural center, hosting since then The National Museum.
reflect the worldview, social structure, and jewelery from pre-Columbian people that lived in the actual Costa Rican territory.
The currency history in Costa Rica, from the “Real” to the “Colón”, is the new permanent exhibit at the Jaime Solera Bennett Numismatics Museum. This exhibit shows the evolution of the various means of exchange since 1502 until today, in a very dynamic way. The tour explains about money and its use, and portrays a very interesting history of the country’s currency as the use of barter, the use of metallic coins which had its beginnings in the colonial period, the use of foreign coins and coffee and banana tickets, the issue of banknotes of different banks until the Central Bank consolidation, the symbolism shown in coins and bills, among other interesting topics. The most beautiful and valuable coins, bills, dies and coffee and bananas tickets from the Central Bank’s collection are displayed in this exhibition.
of Costa Rica.
numismatics; reflects one of the INS objectives, to generate a social contribution, through registration, documentation and exhibition of expositions.
Schedule: from Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
the National Power and Light Company (CNFL in Spanish), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE in Spanish) and the Costa Rican Radiographic S.A. (RACSA in Spanish). Since then, the museum’s objectives are aimed to investigating, educating and communicating to the people everything about the development of services such as electricity and telecommunications in Costa Rica.
Sala Magón Museum Costa Rica (Museo Sala Magón) is located in the CENAC (Culture National center). The museum contains photographs and explanatory cards on people who have won the Magón prize since its inception in 1962 until today. To visit the Sala Magón is preferable to arrange an appointment with General Services, because the place is sometimes used for meetings.
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