Changuina
HANDMADE ARTEFACTS
The Achuar make all their own handicrafts and tools. String is made from palm leaves, which is then turned into baskets and ropes. Necklaces and jewellery are made out of seeds. Mud from the riverbank is turned into clay which is used to form bowls and pots. Poison from frogs is extracted and combined with sticks and seeds to form poisonous darts, which are used as a tool for hunting animals that live in trees. Fish bones are sometimes used as hooks for fishing.
The Achuar also use nature as a means for food and nutrition. One of the most common foods in the community is the Manioc Plant, also known as Cassava. This is a vegetable with a similar consistency to potatoes, which is fermented, dried, and then cooked. The vegetable contains several vital nutrients such as carbohydrates, potassium, fibre and protein, making it a nutrient-rich superfood.
Here are some more Handmade Artefacts
When it comes to medicine, the Achuar use insects and plants to heal wounds, cure infections, and remedy illness. Bullet ants are used as stitches by allowing the insect to bite the skin, and then removing the rest of the body. The ant's jaw clamps the skin together and prevents bleeding and infection. Several plants and natural liquids are also used as antiseptics, such as honey. The cordoncillo plant is used as an anaesthetic to numb pain and disinfect wounds.
Population
There is a total of 18 000 people in the Achuar community: 10 000 in Ecuador and 8000 in Peru.
Land
There are 89 smaller communities within the Achuar, most of which are inaccessible by plane. The Achuar own a total of around 8000 square kilometers of land.
Name
The name 'Achuar' is believed to have been derived from the plant 'Achu' which is grown in swamp lands.
Language
There is a theory that the Achuar language is a version of old Korean, and that the Achuar migrated from Asia when two continents were closer together.