Between Borders: Pacaraima and Santa Elena de Uairén

Abstract

The article portrays the Pacaraima (Roraima, Brazil) / Santa Elena de Uairén (Gran Sabana, Venezuela) border as a zone of intense mobility and language contact. Since 2015, Venezuela’s economic and political crisis has increased migration and fueled tensions, while everyday cross-border ties continue to operate beyond legal and geographic boundaries. The towns are considered “twin cities” separated by a dry border of roughly 15 km, historically framed by agreements such as the 1859 navigation and boundary treaty. Much of Pacaraima’s territory lies within Indigenous Lands (São Marcos; Raposa Serra do Sol), producing a complex sociolinguistic setting where Portuguese, Spanish, and Indigenous languages (Taurepang, Makuxi, Arekuná, Wapixana) coexist. Daily interactions rely on flexible bilingual practices and mutual accommodation, often enabling smooth communication. Migration has tripled school enrollment, turning classrooms into multilingual spaces and challenging educators. In tourism and trade linked to the Gran Sabana, Portuguese remains prominent, though its presence shifts across urban areas. The article concludes that the border’s complexity is sustained by continuous cultural and linguistic exchange.