Amahuaca
Encyclopedia
The Amahuaca or Amhuaca are a Native South American people of the Peru
vian and Brazil
ian Amazonia. Sedentary farmers, hunters and gatherers, they speak a Panoan language and reputedly practised endocannibalism- the ritual cannibalism of deceased relatives. Isolated until the 18th century, they are currently under threat from ecological devastation, disease and violence brought by oil
extractors and illegal loggers. In 1998 they numbered about 520. The largest community
of the Amahuaca is in Puerto Varadero, a jungle
community on the Peru
vian–Brazil
ian border.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Amazonia. Sedentary farmers, hunters and gatherers, they speak a Panoan language and reputedly practised endocannibalism- the ritual cannibalism of deceased relatives. Isolated until the 18th century, they are currently under threat from ecological devastation, disease and violence brought by oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
extractors and illegal loggers. In 1998 they numbered about 520. The largest community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
of the Amahuaca is in Puerto Varadero, a jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
community on the Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian–Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian border.