evidence: The Aparai and the Wayana are peoples of the Karib language family who inhabit the frontier region between Brazil (East Paru River, state of Pará), Surinam (Tapanahoni and Paloemeu rivers) and French Guiana (upper Maroni River and its tributaries the Tampok and Marouini). In Brazil, they have lived together for at least a hundred years, in the same villages and marrying amongst themselves. Consequently, very often one finds references to this population as a single group, although their internal differences may be claimed on the basis of distinct historical trajectories and cultural traits. [...] Today, the Aparai and Wayana are distributed in three territorial groups defined by the coordinates of the East Paru River, in Brazil; the Marouni River, in French Guiana; and the Tapanahoni River in Surinam. While the great majority of the Aparai is found in Brazilian territory, the Wayana are also distributed in villages in French Guiana and Surinam. This distribution into three distinct territorial groups is the result of their long history of contact with non-Indians, marked by migrations, processes of fission and fusion with other indigenous peoples. In any case, spatial distance does not represent an obstacle to the interaction among these territorial groups, which takes place, basically, through kinship ties and formal trade partnerships.