Shipibo Indians

Masters of Ayahuasca - Page 1 of 4

In Iquitos, Peru it is quite common to see Shipibo women selling their handicrafts on the "Bulevard" ("Malecon") above the river and the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the majority of visitors do not appreciate just how interesting the Shipibo tribe is nor do they realize how special their handicrafts are. Consequently, I have written this article to shed light on one of the most fascinating tribes in the Iquitos area who unfortunately are commonly ignored by the majority of tourists visiting Iquitos.
 
The Shipibo community consists of about 35,000 people living in over three hundred villages concentrated in the Pucallpa and Loreto regions and is situated to the north and south of the city of Pucallpa.  Shipibo communities are mostly situated along the Ucayali River and nearby oxbow lakes. The Ucayali River connects with the Marañon River to form the "Río Amazonas" (Amazon River), the longest and largest river in the world. The Amazon River flows northward past Iquitos on its long journey to the Atlantic Ocean.  Similar to the Matis, Mayoruna, Korubo, and Marubo Indians, the Shipibo Indians speak a native language of the Panoan family. Presently, most Shibibos speak Spanish as well and their native language.  The Shipibo people are primarily artisans, hunters, and fishermen and some practice slash-and-burn agriculture. Primary tools are machetes and spears. Virtually none of the Shipibo villages have electricity.

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