Kiri

The Kiri (also known as Qiri) are the largest tribe of the Marani, an important group of indigenous peoples of the southern IDU. They live in modern-day Baranxtu (especially in the autonomous province Qiru) and Otea, being the national majority of the latter country.

Although the Kiri language, Qi, is relatively close to other Akes Mersanint languages and Kiri culture is tied strongly to other Marani cultures, especially that of the Ñiri tribe, the Kiri seem to be genetically rather distant from their fellow Marani. For example, whereas most Marani are lactose intolerant, about three quarters of Kiri exhibit lactose persistence. This can probably be linked with the historical isolation from other Marani tribes 6000-5000 years ago when the ancestors of the Kiri retreated to the island of Otea and subsequently lost contact with other tribes for a few centuries.