 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2010) |
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2,660 (1990)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Costa Rica (Puntarenas) | |
| Languages | |
| Boruca, Spanish,[1] Brunca Sign Language | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bribri, Cabécar[1] |
The Boruca (also known as the Brunca or the Brunka) are the indigenous people living in Costa Rica. The tribe has about 2,660 members, most living on a reservation in the Puntarenas Province in southwestern Costa Rica, a few miles away from the Pan-American Highway following the Rio Terraba. The ancestors of the modern Boruca made up a group of chiefdoms that ruled most of Costa Rica's Pacific coast, from Quepos to what is now the Panamanian border, including the Osa Peninsula. Boruca traditionally spoke the Boruca language, which is now nearly extinct.
Like their ancestors the Boruca are known for their art and craftwork, especially weaving and their distinctive painted balsa wood masks, which have become popular decorative items among Costa Ricans and tourists. These masks are important elements in the Borucas' annual Danza de los Diablitos ceremony, celebrated every winter since at least colonial times. The Danza depicts the resistance of the "Diablito", representing the Boruca people, against the Spanish conquistadors.
- ^ a b c "Boruca, Bribri, and Cabécar - Orientation." Countries and Their Cultures. (retrieved 30 Nov 2011)