Jíbaro (Peru)

The Jíbaro (Spanish: "forest man") are a group of indigenous tribes found in Peru's Amazonas region, eastern Ecuador and western Colombia.cite book |last=Mooney |first=James |editor=Herbermann "et al." |title=The Catholic Encyclopedia (Volume VIII) |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PmsQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA405&dq |edition=Volume VIII |year=1913 |publisher=The Universal Knowledge Foundation, Inc. |location=NY |pages=p. 405]

The various sub-tribes (including the Achuar, Shuar, Aguaruna, Huaorani, Shiviar and Huambisa) share a common language, the Jivaroan linguistic family, but each have a unique dialect.

History

Agriculturally, they sustained themselves through the cultivation of corn, beans, bananas, yuca and cotton, and also reared dogs, parrots, monkeys, chickens and hogs. Historically, the Jíbaro lived in large communal houses with two entrances, one dedicated for women, and the other for men only. They signaled nearby tribes by beating a hollowed log, or "tunduli" that was located outside the men's door. The Jíbaro had little political organization and were not ruled by a tribal chief or leader. Social stability was maintained primarily through family structure.

The Jíbaro were violently aggressive with other tribes and strangers, and fought with lances, spear-throwers and blowguns. The heads of their fallen enemies were preserved with smoke and retained as trophies. The Jíbaro were highly recalcitrant to outside influences, and their resistance of Incan subjugation, European influence (primarily Spanish) and Christianization accounts for their continued independence in modernity.

Modern Jíbaro

References