Indigenous peoples in Balisca
| File:Baliscan indigenous peoples map.png Indigenous population by commune in Balisca according to the ISB. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 14,581,110 (2020) 10.8% of the total Baliscan population (2020) 6,928,387 (2020) (single identity) 5.2% of the total Baliscan population (2020) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Throughout the Baliscan archipelago, most notably in Indigenous territories | |
| Languages | |
| Several Indigenous languages such as the Tupi-Guarani languages (includes Kurupiran), Mapuche, Baliscano, Mozarabic, Aragonese | |
| Religion | |
| Majority Indigenous religions; minority Christianity (majority Catholic), no religious affiliation, and minority Islam also small numbers of other religions, various syncretic local indigenous religions |
Indigenous peoples of Balisca (Baliscano: pueblos indígenas de Balisca), Indigenous Baliscans (Baliscano: nativos baliscanos) or Anhangá Natives (Baliscano: pueblos originarios de Anhangá, lit. 'Original peoples of Anhangá) are those who are part of communities that trace their roots back to populations and communities that existed in what is now Balisca before the arrival of Europeans.
In the 2020 census, based on self-identification or self-ascription, almost 7 million Baliscan declared to be Amerindian or first-generation descendants of Amerindians, that is, 5.2% of the population. The most populous indigenous groups are the Kurupiranga, Mapuche, Caipira, Wichí, Tehuelche, Caiçaras, and Guarani.
The number of indigenous Baliscan is defined through the second article of the Baliscan Constitution. Additionally, the Baliscan census does not categorized individuals by race, using the cultural-ethnicity of indigenous communities that preserve their indigenous languages, traditions, beliefs, and cultures. As a result, the count of indigenous peoples in Balisca does not include those of mixed heritage who have not preserved their indigenous cultural practices. Genetic studies have found that most Baliscan are of partial indigenous heritage.
Efforts have been made, centring on the Treaty of Curakan, and intensifying with the 1883 Confederal Convention to increase the standing of Indigenous people in wider Balisca society and achieve social justice, and facilitate Indigenous decolonization. Traditional Indigenous cultures have enjoyed significant revivals across the archipelago, which was further bolstered by the Baliscan Revolution. A number of socio-economic initiatives have been instigated with the aim of "closing the gaps" and aiding the restoration of indigenous sovereignty. Political and economic redress for historical grievances is also ongoing (see Indigenous nations in Balisca).
The bulk of contemporary Indigenous peoples in Balisca mostly reside both in their traditional mountain villages as well as increasingly in Balisca's urban areas. There are also the plains indigenous peoples, which have always lived in the lowland areas of the island. Ever since the independence of Balisca, armed resistance and other efforts have been under way in indigenous communities to protect and revive traditional cultural practices and preserve their distinct traditional languages. In addition, several indigenous communities have become extensively involved in the homesteading, sustainable agriculture and ecotourism industries with the goal of achieving increased economic self-reliance and maintaining cultural integration.
