Amazon

The life styles of the riverside inhabitants are very similar to the first ones. Houses are built with materials easily found in the forest, these are open structures usually built on small wood platforms and covered by palmetto leaves roofs.

People earn their living by hunting, gathering and agriculture activities. The life style of the riverside people may be considered simple and primitive if it is compared to the modern standards; even though, they live in harmony with the environment and their lifes reflect peace rarely found in our busy world.

The most important tribes of the Amazon region are: Achual; Andoa; Jibaro; Capanahua; Candoshi – Murato; Urarina – Shimaco; Cimarrón; Quichua; Cocama; Shipibo; Iskobáquebu; Matsés; Capanahua; Mayo Pisagua; Marubo; Capishto; Ticuna; Ocaina; Yagua; Bora; Wuitoto Murui; Wuitoto; Winame; Iquito; Quichua – Yumbo; Quichua – Maca; Quichua – Canelo; Secoya Piojé; Saranahua; Zaparo; Arabela; Coto (big-eared).

There have never been a great number of indigenous people in the Amazon Tropical Forest. During 15,000 years of human presence in this region, probably, there have not been more than three million of people coexisting.

Generally, indigenous people from the Amazon region live in small and sometimes nomadic groups. Life for indigenous people changed dramatically during the XVI century when the first European people (Portuguese and Spanish conquerors) introduced modern weapons, diseases and Christian doctrines.

Measles, smallpox and common flu exterminated whole tribes. Some tribes moved into the deep Tropical Forest, preserving their cultures during the Stone Age.