The Amazonian Kichwa _ Shiripuno_ENG.pptx

The Amazonian Kichwa - Shiripuno, Ecuador

EPSULA team

The Amazonian Kichwa, Shiripuno, Ecuador

________________________________________________________________

Location: In the province of Napo, mainly on the banks of the Shiripuno River.

General Information

Source: EPSULA. USC, 2023

Name: Amazonian Kichwa. Ethnonym: The Shiripuno Community members refer to themselves as Napu Runa, i.e., people from Napo. Lingvistic Group: Quechua, Kichwa Approximate Population of Kichwa People: 550 000.

Map: EPSULA. USC, 2023

Photo: EPSULA. UDA, 2023

Society Some Kichwa communities continue to use traditional agricultural practices, such as growing yuca, plantains, vegetables, and fruit, although this is no longer the only means of subsistence, the same as in the case of hunting and fishing. Recently, the Kichwa communities have become involved in the local tourism sector and the sale of handicrafts. Spiritual life in the community is practiced through daily rituals, which include storytelling and singing. Their stories tell of the lives of plants, birds, and animals, which, according to their beliefs, are endowed with their own spirits. Other important themes also appear, such as the spiritual guardians of the forest and the river. Ritual songs tell of how various plants gradually evolved from a previous state that had a human essence. The community venerates a large stone which, according to their beliefs, preserves the record of their past and is therefore of great significance to all.

EPSULA recommends: Interview with Maximiliano Rivadeneira: LINKS to other videos from the Napo region, inhabited by Amazonian Kichwa communities.

Photo: EPSULA. UDA, 2023