Di’bö, e’ dör se’ kṹne ẽ̀rpa e’ wö́kila shõ̀õ tóttòla.
Español: Mollera
English: Fontanelle
The soft spot on a newborn’s head.
In Bribri culture, the concept of Di’bö (fontanelle) not only refers to the soft part of a newborn’s head, where the rhythm of their breathing can be felt, but also holds deep spiritual significance.
It symbolizes the closing of one era and the beginning of another, and is considered a channel through which ancestral knowledge is transmitted.
This area of the body is linked to wisdom and the connection with the spiritual world for sharing knowledge.
MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Fontanelas hundidas. MedlinePlus Enciclopedia Médica. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved July 25, 2025, from https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/003309.htm (Accessed July 25, 2025)
The information in this entry was provided through direct consultation with a Bribri speaker. No recordings were made; the content was documented through notes taken during the conversation (Sabino Díaz, Anastasia Segura adultos mayores de la comunidad y Alí García Segura).
Sa’ bribripa ikuá tchéke, iwö̀ wa kanèwẽ se’ kuóie, ena alàkölpa tsṍwã. Ie’ bitsétã.
Tsulë’, ie’ dilitã, e’kũẽ́k se’ wã itso’ ù tsiní yuwók ena pö́ ie.
E’ bléke se’dör wa kua’tché ena itsíkène bulé böiki tã.
