Southern Choco

The Southern Choco are a Cariban-speaking Indigenous people primarily residing in the San José River region of Colombia. They are one of the Choco groups, which also include the Northern Choco and the Catio.12

The Southern Choco traditionally live in round dwellings built on stilts, often situated along rivers. Their subsistence relies on shifting horticulture, utilizing a slash-and-burn method for cultivating food crops. They are also skilled hunters, employing bows and arrows, as well as blowguns with poisoned darts.1

Choco society is organized around the household, with the eldest male serving as the primary spokesperson. Their history includes legends of conflict with the neighboring Kuna people and successful resistance against Spanish incursions in the 17th century.1