The
Achuar did not always live on such large territory.
Their present expansion is the result of attempts
from Spaniards to colonize. This affected
the Amazon Region since the 16th century.
As
well as other indigenous communities of the
Amazon, their origin is uncertain. It is believed
that migration took place from Colombia and
Venezuela.
Since
the 18th century, the navigation on the Bobonaza
River (one of the access routes into the Amazons)
was reserved to a handful of Jesuits and Dominican
misionaries who were very audacious and accompanied
by civil or military escorts.
The
Achuar Region was saved from the rubber
boom that during the middle of the 19th
century created havoc in the indigenous
communities in the Amazons.
Since
the end of the 19th century and up to a
second war, the Bobonaza River was occasionally
visited by explorers, naturalists and ethnographers
proceeding its route through the Pastaza
all the way to the Marañon. Among
them were Pierre (1889), Flornoy and Karsten
(1935). However, none of them ventured into
the Achuar Region; remaining "Terra
Incognita" till the end of the 60´s.
Between
1968 and 1970, Catholics and Evangelicals
established the first peaceful contacts
with this group in order to evangelize them,
a process that would deeply modify their
way of living.
In
1996, the Pachamama Alliance was founded
in San Francisco, California. At the same
time, Foundation Pachamama, its Ecuadorian
counterpart, was founded in Quito. Both
organizations have been actively working
for the benefit of the Achuar culture and
their environment.
The
Achuar did not always live on such large territory.
Their present expansion is the result of attempts
from Spaniards to colonize. This affected
the Amazon Region since the 16th century.
As
well as other indigenous communities of the
Amazon, their origin is uncertain. It is believed
that migration took place from Colombia and
Venezuela.
Since
the 18th century, the navigation on the Bobonaza
River (one of the access routes into the Amazons)
was reserved to a handful of Jesuits and Dominican
misionaries who were very audacious and accompanied
by civil or military escorts.
The
Achuar Region was saved from the rubber
boom that during the middle of the 19th
century created havoc in the indigenous
communities in the Amazons.
Since
the end of the 19th century and up to a
second war, the Bobonaza River was occasionally
visited by explorers, naturalists and ethnographers
proceeding its route through the Pastaza
all the way to the Marañon. Among
them were Pierre (1889), Flornoy and Karsten
(1935). However, none of them ventured into
the Achuar Region; remaining "Terra
Incognita" till the end of the 60´s.
In
the 30´s, Shell, a company from Holland,
opened a base close to Achuar territory
building an air landing strip, but the results
were inconclusive.
In
1941, the war between Ecuador and Peru broke
out and divided this group into two nations.
In
Until the beginning of the 70´s, the
Achuar were one of the last groups that
did not have any contact with the western
world.
Between
1968 and 1970, Catholics and Evangelicals
established the first peaceful contacts
with this group in order to evangelize them,
a process that would deeply modify their
way of living.
Since
1991, the majority of the Achuar belong
to an organization called FINAE (Organization
of Ecuadorian Achuar Nationalities).
In
1995, the Achuar signed an agreement to
develop a unique project: The Kapawi Ecolodge
and Reserve, which became their main source
of income.
In
1996, the Pachamama Alliance was founded
in San Francisco, California. At the same
time, Foundation Pachamama, its Ecuadorian
counterpart, was founded in Quito. Both
organizations have been actively working
for the benefit of the Achuar culture and
their environment.