Peru is well known by its nature and the unforgettable experiences that it offers to all of their visitors. In recent years , the peruvian Amazon jungle has become one of the favorite destinations for those who choose to visit one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet.
It involves national natural reserves, parks and forests that are part of the protected and most recommended areas for tourism and also trekking. Nearly 60 % of the Peruvian territory corresponds to this zone.
Despite having the lowest population density in the country, it is the most anthropologically diverse area. Most of the ethnic groups are settled in this place and an infinite number of native Peruvian languages are spoken there.
While you are traveling to Peru and visiting the amazon part you may need to keep communication or a translation app. That’s why you may need to use one of our mobile phone plans for tourists to have a tourist SIM card. So that you can dance and enjoy at 100% the festival of San Juan without any worries with PeruSIM.
Home to millions of different species of animals and also to different indigenous communities that are part of an important factor in the preservation of the Peruvian rainforest. Here are some of the most important contact communities of the Peruvian jungle:
Indigenous or Native Original people in Peru:
By definition, indigenous or original people are those collective communities that have their origin in times prior to the Peruvian state, that take place in the jungle region, that conserve all or part of their distinctive institutions, and that, in addition, represent the collective conscience of having an indigenous or original identity as a country.
To date, there is information on 55 indigenous peoples in Peru, 51 from the Amazon and 4 from the Andes. These 51 indigenous communities are part of the ‘Contact’ communities and known by the Peruvian Government, but there’s parts of the Peruvian amazon jungle that are hard to reach due to the conditions .
It is national knowledge that in these unexplored parts of the Amazon there are other indigenous communities not previously contacted by humans. It is important to mention this information about the communities in the jungle and their importance to protect their habitat and preserve the Amazonian forests in Peru.
Ashaninka
The Ashaninka represent the largest indigenous or Amazonian group in Peru. Their identity is closely related to the territory and its defense. Similarly, the link with nature and the beings that inhabit it is of utmost importance, since they recognize that everything that surrounds them has life.
The Ashaninka also recognize the importance of promoting the revaluation of their culture, mainly to transmit traditional knowledge and wisdom, such as language or the use of plants, to new generations.
The Ashaninka territory extends in the high zone of the tropical forest, in the east of Peru. The climate has two defined seasons. On the one hand, the dry season with little rainfall and low humidity between April and October, and on the other hand, the rainy season. The latter runs from December to March and is characterized by the growth of rivers, which can become dangerous for navigation.
Ashaninka Meaning and Identity
The name “Ashaninka” can be translated as ‘people’, ‘countryman’ or ‘family’. The word also has an inclusive sense so it can also be understood as ‘our people’, ‘we countrymen’ or ‘our family’.
Ashaninka Cultural Expressions
One of the most common celebrations among the Ashaninka have been the “masateadas”, which revolve around the preparation and ingestion of masato, a traditional drink of the community. These are a modern-day version of the feast held in honor of Kashiri, the moon god.
The women organize themselves for the preparation of large quantities of masato, which they begin to drink from the afternoon, once the workday is over, until the evening hours or even days, depending on the supply of masato.
These events are usually very lively. Families eat, drink, talk and joke among peers. The ingestion of fermented masato usually leads to drunkenness, which is channeled into singing and dancing.
Shipibo-Konibo
The Shipibo-Konibo people This people has its origin in a series of cultural fusions between three groups that were previously distinct from each other: the Shipibos, the Konibos and the Shetebos.
The name of these people would be related to the terms “monkey” and “fish” in their native language.
According to the oral tradition of this community, the Shipibo-Konibo received this name because in the past they blackened their forehead, chin and mouth with a natural black dye, which made them look like a monkey they called shipi.
Today, the citizens of these communities have accepted this denomination without considering it as pejorative and claiming it as their own.
The Shipibo-Konibo have been known for their great mobility and their ability to organize indigenous population conglomerates in urban areas, an example being the Cantagallo Community, the best known and most numerous Amazonian indigenous settlement in Metropolitan Lima, located in the Rímac district.
On the other hand, the handicraft and textile production of the Shipibo-Konibo people is one of the most famous in the Peruvian Amazon due to its typical designs. The famous kené design system has a fundamental value in the Shipibo-Konibo culture, since it expresses their cosmovision. In 2008, the kené was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
These riverside people were traditionally settled along the shores of the Ucayali River and its tributaries. Currently, the Shipibo-Konibo communities are located in the departments of Ucayali, Madre de Dios, Loreto and Huánuco.
Mascho Piro
The Mashco Piro are one of the semi-nomadic peoples that inhabit the Peruvian territory. A large part of the Mashco Piro population lives in isolation and moves between the Mashco Piro Indigenous Reserve, Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve and Murunahua Indigenous Reserve, created between 1997 and 2002.
The Mashco Piro live in the departments of Ucayali and Madre de Dios. According to data obtained by the Ministry of Culture, they live mainly in the middle and upper basins of the Manu, Los Amigos, Pariamanu, Las Piedras, Tahuamanu and Acre rivers (Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve) and in the upper Purus and Curanja river basins (Mashco Piro Indigenous Reserve).
Yagua
According to some authors, the name Yagua comes from other peoples or from the Spanish colonists, since it is a name in the Quechua language.
Yagua comes from the Quechua word yawar, which means blood or color of blood, an expression that is reflected in the custom of painting their bodies with achiote and in the self-perception of the Yagua, who see themselves as red.
On the other hand, the authors have pointed out that the yaguas call themselves nihamwo, which means ‘we the people’.
In Peru, the Yaguas are the only indigenous people whose language belongs to the Peba-Yagua linguistic family. Likewise, it is also one of the peoples with greater participation in the tourist circuits of the department of Loreto.
Their traditional clothing made with palm leaves and the elaboration of hunting tools are some of the Yagua attractions of this industry.The Yagua people live mainly in the department of Loreto, in the border area with Colombia and Brazil.
Knowing a little more about these indigenous communities will help us to have a better experience when visiting them, remember to always respect their customs.
These communities are an important part of the conservation of the entire Amazon, as visitors we must contribute to their conservation and growth.Finally, we know that you have to keep communication with your relatives and friends, that you need to be able to orient yourself in new cities, that you might need help with translation and that you might need to search for restaurants or hotels. That’s why with PeruSIM you can buy a SIM card including the data plan of your need without having to worry about high roaming costs.