The Urarinas
Historical Summary:
The Urarinas inhabited originally in the Chambira river,
having originally been a large group. In 1651, Jesuit missionaries made contact
with this group through the christianized Cocam
illas, being seated in an annex
of Jeberos Mission Concepcion. A year later, Father Lucero took some Urarinas
to San Xavier de Chamicuros subsequently were transferred to Santiago de la
Laguna.
In the late nineteenth century, Urarinas were persecuted by
rubber patterns. Given these attacks they escaped to the areas of the
headwaters of the river Chambira. Some were caught and turned into slaves on
the farms located in the Marañón River. By 1924, Paul Rivet in his account of
South American indigenous languages, are considered extinct, but by 1930
Tessman said 300 Urarinas still survived. Early in 1950, the number of Urarinas
declined due to an epidemic.
In 1974, oil exploration in the area of Urarinas generated
an increase demand for manufactured products and opened the possibility of
offering labor.
Social Organization:
The social organization of Urarinas is characterized by
patrilineal descent groups, preferential marriage with the bilateral
cross-cousin and rule of post-marital residence matrilocal.
Economic Activities:
The Urarinas practice swidden horticulture, hunting and
fishing. The main crops grown in the orchards are cassava (Manihot sculenta),
banana (Musa paradisiaca), maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), the Sachapapa
(Dioscorea trifida), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), Sugarcane (Saccharum
officinarum) and papaya (Carica papaya). Hunting is practiced individually and
fishing, both individually and collectively. The collection is aimed at
obtaining palm fruits such as palm (Mauritia flexuosa) and pijuayo (Actris gasipaes) and secondary forest trees as ungurahui (Oenocarpus bataua Mart).
The Urarinas produce for the bird market and agricultural
products; also sell fine woods, leathers and fabrics palm of great demand in
the regional market.
Vulnerability:
This relatively small group, is located in an area of oil
exploration and forest extraction, can being qualified in a situation of medium
vulnerability.
Family Language:
Unclassified
Autodenomination: No autodenominación
Geographical Location:
Province
Department District
Loreto
Loreto Tigre
Loreto
Loreto Trompeteros
Loreto
Loreto Urarinas
Rivers and tributaries Chambira; Urituyacu, Corrientes and
Ocelot.
Demographics: Population Enumerated.
564 293 271
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