Etnia Shuar
Etnia Shuar
Because the Shuar has been an eminently warlike people and also because they used to do after their wars, the rite of reducing the head of their enemies, known as Tsantsa in order to be able to preserve it as a trophy of war; Have generally been known in contemptuous form as Jíbaros or savages; Denomination that they reject by their ethnocentric and racist content; For that reason they claim their right to self-designate as Shuar which means, people, person.

Until recently the Shuar Nationality was only integrated and organized into two large groups: the Inter-provincial Federation of the Shuar People of Ecuador, FIPSE, based in Macuma, and the Indigenous Federation of Shuar Centers, Ficsh, based in Sucúa, both in Morona Santiago, which represented the largest number of Shuar Indians, with 65% of its population in the province of Morona Santiago and the other 35% in the provinces of Zamora Chinchipe and Pastaza.
There are approximately 45,000 people in total living in the Santiago, Morona and Pastaza river basins. They occupy the East of the Province of Zamora and Morona Santiago and the South of the Province of Pastaza.
“The Shuar Nationality was initially settled in the territories that today corresponds to the province of Morona Santiago, and then extended to the rest of the Amazonian territory. Currently they are also in the provinces of Napo, Pastaza and Zamora Chinchipe, reaching a population of 110,000 inhabitants. (PRODEPINE 1999).
Its traditional language is the shuar-chicham, pertaining to the language jivaroano. Subsistence is mainly based on itinerant tubers horticulture, complemented by man-made hunting, fishing and gathering; The care of the plot and also of the collection, corresponds to the woman. She is in charge of children and housework, particularly the preparation of chicha and cooking
The Housing is of elliptical form, with a very ample interior space, in which are two restrictive zones; The “ekent”, family area of women and young children and the “Tankamash”. Social area of the male children and visits; The shuar house has earth floor, walls with slats of chonta and roof of palm leaves.
Traditionally the man wore a skirt called “Itip” woven in cotton and dyed with natural dyes: the woman, a kind of tunic tied in a shoulder and tightened to the waist by a cord. At the present time it is very common the use of garments of western model. It complements the dress with body paint made with achiote.

Shuar mythology is closely linked to the nature and laws of the universe, and manifests itself in a wide range of higher beings related to phenomena such as the creation of the world, life, death, and disease. The main ones are Etsa, Nunkui, Tsunki, Shakaim’s strength and ability to work male. Tsunki, to be primordial of the water, brings the health. Nunkui fertilizes the chakra, Arútam is source of all good and makes the shuar invincible in the war. Traditionally the Shuar people made the war like mechanism of justice to restore the natural balance
Shuar being the general self-denomination, however within the nationality, different self-denominations are adopted, which do not mean cultural differences, but rather refer to the geographical location on which they are based; Thus we find: The Muraya Shuar (people of the mountain) that are settled in the Valley of the Upano river; The Untsuri Shuar (numerous people) located between the Cordilleras del Cóndor and Kutukú; The Pakanmaya Shuar who live in the area of the Transkutukú.
The mother tongue is the Shuar belonging to the Jivaroana Linguistic Family according to the classification studied by Karsten. For their interaction with the national society, they use Castilian as a second language.
Among the festivals that they adopted of their ancestors and that still practice in the majority of their communities shuar, we can point out the Festival of the Chonta, that usually is celebrated in August with autochthonous dances and the harvest of the fruit that is transformed into drink ; The Feast of Ayahuasca which usually celebrate in January with the walk to the waterfalls and sacred mountains

Vocabulario shuar-chicham a español
Áak: Rancho
Aákiam: Bagre blanco
Aápaj: Verdura silvestre
Aarta: Escribe
Áchu: Palmera – morete
Achuar: Achuar
Aents: Persona
Aeoai: Hoja tierna de yuca
Aepa: el que está haciendo acostar
Aintiuk: Cuatro
Ajankearma: Plato
Ajéj: Ajijiebre
Ajekea: hacer ahogar
Aka-írunui: gusanos
Aka: Gusano
Akankem: Carro
Akankemanch: Carrito
Akanketai: Pelota
Akáru: Escopeta
Amamuk: Tazón
Amich: Jumbunde
Ampákai: Palmera
Ampár: Verdura silvestre
Ampush: Lechuza
Amúchat: Mil
Antuash: nombre de persona
Apachich: Abuelo
Ápar: Papá
Arempramu: Plato
Atash núa: Gallina
Awá: Awá
Awajint: Aventador
Awam: Palmera
Awánkem: Collar
Áyum: Gallo
Chachi: Chachi
Chai nuape: Leva
Chankin: Canasto shuar
Chankin: changuita
Chíki: Zanahoria shuar
Chikíchik: Uno
Chimpi: Tribuna mayor
Chinkími: Palmera
Chirishri: Hierbaluisa
Chiú: Fruta silvestre
Chiwia: Trompetero
Chúkchu: Medicina tradicional
Chuú: Choronco
Cofán: Cofán
Éep: Verdura silvestre
Ekemaku: el que ha incendiado
Entsa: Agua-río
Esékmatai: Cobija
Ete-írunui: avispas
Ete: Avispa
Etsa: Sol
Etsenrutai: Gorra
Ewéj: Cinco
Ewetainawe: Zapato
Huao: Huao
Ii: Nosotros
Iimiatai: Espejo
Ijiakra: el que ha roto
Íjiu: Palmera
Imia: Garza
Inchi: Camote
Iniak: Sachi
Ipiak: Achiote
Irumatai: Vincha
Itio: Taparrabo, atuendo del hombre shuar
Jacha: Hacha
Jákea: ahogar
Jakuru: roto
Jápa: Venado
Japimiuk: Escoba
Jéa: Casa
Jeéncham: Murciélago
Jempe: Colibrí
Jímia: Ají
Jimiar: Dos
Jínkiai-írunui: pepas
Kaáp: Mosca
Kama: Comején
Kaná kaér: Prima
Kaná umar: Primo
Kánu: Canoa
Kapáku: Rojo
Kapántaku: Tomate
Káshai: Guanta
Katíp: Ratón
Kawá: Loro
Kayamicha: Hielo
Káyuk: Guatusa
kea: encender
Kénke: Tuyo
Kichwa: Kichwa
Kijin jutai: Carretilla
Kinkia: Azul marino
Kinkiapatin: Celeste
Kitiar: Guitarra
Kuarash: Palmera
Kuirach: Bebé
Kúk: Chancho
Kukuch: Naranjilla
Kumpá: Bagre
Kunamp: Ardilla
Kunapip: Fruta silvestre
Kunchaí: Copal
Kunkuk: Unguragua
Kuntsú: Sardina
Kuraip: Sapo
Kuru: Puerco espín
Kusea: Corvina
Kushi: Tejón
Kushimkiap: Cacao silvestre
Kután: Asiento
Kuúnt: Palmera
kuyúa: secar
Machit: Machete
Maikiua: Guanto
Mama: Yuca
Manchi: Grillo
Marunch: Camarón
Mashu: Paujil
Másu: Barbasco verde
Máya: Zanahoria shuar
Mejéch: Oro
Menaint: Tres
Micha-tsu: Medicina para la reuma
Michik: Gato
Mukusa aents: Afro-americano
Mukúsatka: Plomo
Múnchi: Granadilla
Munchinchi: Maracuyá
Muntsumshik: Sost
Muntsumunts: Fruta silvestre
Mutis: Vasija de barro
Múuka-ijiakin: Rompecabezas
Muuka-tsuemtikin: Gorra de lana
Muwa-ewekamin: Carreta
Naám: Maní silvestre
Naatip: Copa
Naék timiu: Barbasco trepador
Naí-nijiatai: Cepillo
Naikim: Arena
Náka: en la misma dirección
Naki-muwa: Cebra
Namúk: Zapallo trepador
Nánam: Avión
Nanki: Lanza
- Nantu: Luna
Naránk: Naranja
Natem: Ayahuasca
Nawantur: Hija
Náwe: Diez
Nawenam-ewetai: Medias
Nuá: eso
Núa: mujer
Nukuchich: Abuela
Nukúr: Mamá
Nunká: abajo
Nunka: Tierra
Nusé paat: Caña dulce pequeña
Paápu: Pavo
Paát: Caña de azúcar
Painkipinink: Plato
Paká: pelarse
Páka: plano
Paki: Sajino
Pama: Danta
Pantam: Plátano verde
Papachinia: Papa
Papank: Balsa
Patake: Manilla
Pátu: Pato
Patuch: Patito
Pénkeráiti: es bueno
Penumat: Bufanda
Pinchu: Gavilán
Pinchuchink: Gorrión
Pinink: Plato
Pinkiui: Flauta
Pirípri: Medicina natural
Pirish: Perico
Pítiu: Fruta silvestre
Pitsa: Pava negra
Pítsumak: Bikini
Pitsumprak: Pantal
Púju: Blanco
Pushi: Camisa
Púshu: Café
Púshutka: Café claro
Remu: Árbol
Salsea: Arete
Sampáp: Medicina tradicional
Sánku-iniaí: Hoja de pelma tierna
Sánku: Pelma
Santania: Huamboya
Sawa: Conejo
Secoya: Secoya
Senta: Cinta
Sepur: Mono gris
Sesa: Medicina tradicional
Sésenk: Coleóptero negro
Shacham: Carachama
Shakap: Cinturón con pepas
Shanashnia: Cuervo
Shiampach: Pollito
Shuinia: Uvilla
Shushui: Armadillo
Siona: Siona
Suich: Azulejo
Suimpatu: Ganso
Supinim: Fruta silvestre
Súsu-awatai: Afeitadora
Susu: Barba
Taarach: Atuendo de mujer
Taink: Remillo
Tampur: Tambor
Tatásham: Pájaro carpintero
Tawasap: Corona
Tayu: Ave de cueva
Temash: Peinilla
Tepa: acostado
Terent: Palmera silvestre
Tete: Mosquito
Timiu: Basbasco
Tintiuk: Tagua
Tirank: Nieto o nieta
Tsama: Maduro
Tsánk: Tabaco
Tsatsa: Cedazo
Tsawan: Día
Tseas: Veneno
Tsénket: Siete
Tsére: Chichico
Tsukanka: Tucán
Tsuntsu: Caracol
Tuish: Catarnica
Tujuch pushi: Poncho
Tujúch waáka: Borrego
Tujuch: Abrigo
Tumank: Arco de cuerda
Tunchitunch: Verdura silvestre
Tuntiak: Arco iris
Uchir: Hijo
Ujúk: Seis
Ujúkam: Mono
Ukujtiurma: Plato
Ukuyúa: hacer secar
Umar: Hermano/a
Ump: Bodoquera
Unt: Grande/mayor
Úrik: Cangrejo
Usúmtai: Ocho
Utújmiatai-papí: Papel higiénico
Uumpir: bodoquera
Uunt yawá: Tigre
Uwí: Chonta
Uyush: Mono perezoso
Waa: Perdiz
Waáka aishmank: Toro
Waáka núa: Vaca
Wakán: Espíritu
Wampishuk: Mariposa
Wampuch: Renacuajo
wankesh-írunui: frankolinas
Wapai: Papaya
Wapik nijiatai: Jabón
Wapúk tsarur: Sardina
Wáshi: Mono negro
Washím: Cien
Week-írunui: hormigas
Week: Hormiga
Wésham: Trompo
Wichin: Mono gris
Yáa: Estrella
Yakatai: Pinturas
Yákum: Mono
Yámaram: Nuevo
Yampuna: Papagayo
Yantána: Ocelote
Yántria: Medicina tradicional
Yarúsh: Ocho
Yawá-írunui: perros
Yawá: Perro
Yuar: Cuñada
Yukunt: Plato
Yúmi: Lluvia
Yumúnk: Limón
Yunkits: Guatusa
Yunkumtaku: Amarillento
Yuránkim: Nube
Yutuí: Conga
Yuwí: Zapallo