In the Bocas del Toro province exists a small group of indians with the actual name of naso or teribes. Some antropologists call them "tlorios". In the past they were known as tojar, terbi, terraba, terebe and some other denominations.

They live in the coastal zones of the Teribe, Changuinola, San San and Yorkin rivers, and they talk the naso language. As the year 2,000 census, in the Panama there are 1,853 representants of this ethnia.



The naso are distributed in 27 communities or villages, but, for administrative reasons, most of the population are concentrated in six places: Dry, Zoron, Bonyic, Cieyic, Cieykin and Santa Rosa



The naso government is headed by the Pru or King, title that it is inhered in direct line. His function is to solve the problems that are not solved by the regidor; also represents the people and participates in the solution of hard situations and in very important matters. The administration is made by a council of 30 members, headed by a president selected by the members, existing also other positions as regidores and representants.



The subsistency of the ethnia is based in the agriculture, with the participation of women and men. They grow platano, corn, rice, cocoa, coffee and pixbae. They harvest fruits like jobo, guanabana, pinapple, guayaba and citrics like orange, lemmon and grapefruit.

They practice hunting with rifles, but frequently they use bow and arrows. They kill zaino, venado and rabbit, to get their meat. When fishing they use hooks. They also grow ducks, chickens and turkeys.

The Teribes make beautiful handicrafts like hammocks, baskets and wooden works.