Warao (redirected from Warrau)

Warao

 or Warrau or Guarauno

Group of nomadic South American Indians who in modern times inhabit the swampy Orinoco River delta in Venezuela and areas eastward into Guyana. Some live in Suriname. They subsist mainly by fishing, hunting, and gathering, though they practice some agriculture in the drier regions. The Mauritia palm is a staple: they make a fermented drink from its sap and bread from its pith, eat its fruit, and fashion its fibre into clothing and hammocks. Their priestly ceremonies and complex social classes are unusual among hunters and gatherers.