


































8 The Yagua People- Indigenous Tribe of Peru


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The Yagua People: Indigenous Tribe of Peru 

Teadora Stefanovska and Iskra Andreeska 

University American College, Skopje, North Macedonia 

Abstract 

The overarching theme of the project is the indigenous Yagua people of Peru, who live 
along the Amazon River. Despite the fact that the project focuses on their lives as a 
whole, taking their culture and way of life into account, the study focuses on a more 
significant challenge that the Yagua people face. Their health problems, as well as 
topics affecting the arrival of modern medicine and the muchacha phenomenon, are 
investigated thoroughly. Deforestation, drug trafficking and illegal mining are also 
discussed as prominent current issues. We chose to investigate the Yagua people as 
we had some exposure to the variety of the Peruvian culture through the virtual 
meetings with students from the ESAN University (Lima) during the Global 
Understanding course and prepared a research project for the XVII International 
Competition of research, practice-oriented and creative projects in English among 
university students organized by the Ural State Pedagogical University. The conducted 
small-size case-study research is based on the qualitative research method. We 
analyzed primary and secondary sources. The primary sources arise from a qualitative 
research we conducted through the survey research technique. We used the 
structured interview as a tool and we interviewed students from University of ESAN 
with whom we attended the Global Understanding Course together and their course 
instructor. We also interviewed the photographer Goran Jovic who had visited the tribe 
and has raised the awareness of their culture through his photographs. The secondary 
sources arise from an extensive internet search for data and available information 
online. The findings showed that majority of the surveyed Peruvian fellow-students 
were unaware of the Yagua people's existence, let alone their health challenges. Thus, 
we believe intercultural and cross-cultural contacts, partnerships, and collaborations 
can contribute in the raising awareness of various problems and can help us learn 
about various challenges people face around the world.   

Keywords: indigenous Yagua people, intercultural, challenges 

Introduction 

Indigenous tribes are of significant importance in many facets of our life that we are 
unaware of. Such issues might include climate change and global warming control, 
agriculture, natural resource management, biodiversity, and many more. With these 
communities purposefully sequestered, it's no wonder that many people are unaware 
of their existence, let alone their difficulties. The Yagua people of Peru live in such a 
tribe beside the Amazon. We have undertaken to investigate the peoples since we 
made contacts in Peru through the Global Understanding course. The goal of this study 
article is to promote awareness of the Yagua people's issues, which include the so-
called "muchacha" phenomenon, their health system, and illicit mining, deforestation, 
and drug activities.  

 



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Factual Information 

The Yagua are an indigenous tribe of roughly 6000 people that live in Columbia and 
northeast Peru. They presently reside along the rivers Amazon, Napo, Putumayo, and 
Yavari. They date as far back as 1768. The Yagua tribe has been notified as a minority 
community, even characterized as “national minorities”, according to Toledo 
(1999).  Furthermore, after reviewing several internet sources, we discovered that, 
while the Yagua language, which includes a range of Quechua vocabulary, is still 
spoken, it has been designated as an endangered language due to the fact that there 
are only around 6000 native speakers. Pena(2009, p. 20) quotes Thomas Payne’s 
findings by saying “As of the early 1980’s, Thomas Payne 
estimated  that  75 %  of  women  and 25 %  of  men  were  monolingual  in  Yagua. 
Spanish proficiency varies; we have observed 
a  few  instances  of  probable  multilingualism stemming from the desire of Yagua-
speaking parents  to  have  their  children  speak  only Spanish.” They are well-known 
for their culture of recognizing hardworking and competent workers. Having said that, 
it is crucial to remember that throughout history they have been legendary hunters, 
diligent farmers and they have become well-known for their exquisite. Basket weaving, 
pottery, and the manufacture of blowguns are examples of other crafts. The expertise 
required to accomplish such trades is passed down from generation to generation. 
Their parenting practices are not dissimilar to most social norms. They adhere 
to conventional gender conventions. Boys are required to provide for their families by 
hunting small animals, whilst girls are expected to keep the home in order. Yagua boys 
are taught to hunt small animals with a blowpipe, and they are very skilled at it. 

Methodology 

We started the research by analyzing secondary sources from an extensive internet 
search for data and available information online. We focused mostly on other research 
papers and online books. This helped us come to knowledge of the most prevalent 
issues at the time concerning the Yagua tribe. After acquiring factual information, we 
moved onto the next part of the research; conducting a small-size case-study research 
that is based on the qualitative research method. Interviews were used as a primary 
source for acquiring data. We used the structured interview as a tool and we 
interviewed students from University of ESAN with whom we attended the Global 
Understanding Course together and their course instructor. We also interviewed the 
photographer Goran Jovic who had visited the tribe and has raised the awareness of 
their culture through his photographs and videos. The questions were formed around 
the information that was previously acquired. The interviews with the Peruvians were 
done by email, while the interview with photographer Jovic was done through social 
media; via Instagram. We wanted to first confirm the general facts about their way of 
life, beliefs and traditions, and next assess the interviewees’ understanding of the 
current issues that the Yagua people are facing. 

Health Issues 

The Yagua people, like any other indigenous community, confront significant 
challenges in their healthcare system. The most notable problem is the insufficient 
introduction of modern medicine. Their system is comprised of a shaman, apparently 



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performing the role of a doctor, yet the two are polar opposites. Shamans are more 
concerned with the spiritual and intangible causes of sickness, and their job in the 
community is to explain to the patient what factors have caused their illness. In contrast 
to our professionals, who utilize biology and symptoms to establish a diagnosis, 
shamans are not able to do it in this way since they lack essential expertise and 
practice. Because it is the only way they know, the Yagua people turn to natural 
medicines for healing. There have been numerous attempts to apply modern 
medication but they have failed for a variety of reasons. For a start, it may not have 
been introduced appropriately. One should not try to utilize the medication as a 
substitute for their present ways; rather, it should be used as a supplemental treatment 
when traditional therapies are insufficient. ‘’White medicine need not be seen as a 
substitute for shamanism, but as a therapeutic complement which can work 
concurrently with traditional pharmacopoeia’’ (Chaumeil, 1984, p. 52). Second, even if 
the medicine is broadly acknowledged by the public, price is not publicly available. It is 
too costly, especially given the Yagua people's economic position. More so, individuals 
are not given enough information to enable them to operate with 
modern pharmaceutical drugs. Lastly, in addition to their unique medical procedures, 
other issues like as hygiene and malnutrition have a role. They have been robbed of 
cultivable areas as a result of invaders seizing enormous swaths of land and abusing 
the Yagua people, but this is only one of numerous concerns. As a result, solutions to 
help improve Yagua's health tend to be largely preventative in character, such as 
immunization programs under pre-vaccine care, the establishment of indigenous 
health advocates, and a revaluation of herbal medicine. 

The ‘’Muchacha’’ Phenomenon 

Peruvians have a saying that goes way back in time, and it states that the Yagua 
people are the cheapest labor in the Loreto area. The patronage system, which is the 
interplay of economic transactions based on the use of male labor (as seen with 
lumber, rubber, skins, and daily or seasonal work), has been prominent and constant 
throughout the years, until recently. In the last 10 years, the focus of attention has 
shifted from males to women, and that is where the concept of the muchacha or 
muchacha phenomenon is derived from. Until 1975, men left and women stayed; now, 
the converse is true. First and foremost, the market for "muchachas" or servants, is in 
trouble; examine the rising number of ads proclaiming "se necesita muchacha" 
(servant or aid sought) that one sees in the windows of Limenian or provincial 
residences. If it is true that the vast majority of females employed as maids are of 
indigenous descent, they will mostly migrate from the Sierra to the coastal area where 
there is the highest demand. However, many highland females are now refusing to 
work as domestics since they are itinerants selling food or clothes. Furthermore, and 
this is without a doubt the driving element, demand is significantly expanding as the 
Peruvian middle class emerges, which is extremely thirsty for the advantages of the 
well-to-do. Jean-PierreChaumeli (1984) has discovered that the people of Caballo-
Cocha have been vocal that everybody wants a muchacha now. Aside from the 
devalued chores that are assigned to them (cooking, washing, and child care), the vast 
majority of Yagua muchachas are not compensated or educated. They are most 
typically kept in solitude in the patron's house. They may be seen at Caballo-cocha, 
sitting mutely by the window, hiding from passengers and reappearing once they have 
passed. In the presence of their new "adopted family," they learn to reject their roots 
and fully break connections with their community. With the existence of racial 



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consciousness in the minds of the Yagua women, new times are on the way. Until 
recently, women have been the most deprived of knowledge and abilities in society, 
and they are now regarded as keepers of the elders, customs, and the preservation of 
their language. 

Illegal Mining 

Illegal mining has proven to be a major environmental crime for the indigenous peoples 
that live in the area of activity. The Yagua are one of these tribes. The ramifications of 
this heinous illegal conduct may be seen in areas such as Madre de Dios. Extensive 
online research led us to the discovery that not so long ago, reporters from Mongabay 
Latam visited San José de Karene, a town in Madre de Dios with an official name 
where the impacts of illegal mining could be witnessed.  ‘’According to the research, 
illegal mining has stolen 6,282 hectares (15,523 acres) of forest from the community’’ 
Praeili (2021, para. 31). The Mongabay Latam research demonstrated that, despite all 
attempts by communities to remedy the issue, unlawful mining has damaged 129 
villages throughout the five areas analyzed. These communities face a paucity of 
remote sensing satellites as well as well-defined territorial boundaries. The seized 
territory can then be invaded and legitimized by outsiders. Catoteni and San José de 
Karene have also experienced this. Praeli (2021, para. 37) reports back and quotes 
Francis Quiqie, who is a member of the governing board of San José de Karene by 
stating “Today, customs are no longer practiced. Even parents themselves do not 
handle this knowledge, and this is being lost due to mining. If we lose our customs, 
then it would not even make sense to call ourselves an Indigenous community.” 

Figure 1: Illegal mining in hectares 

 

*original information portrayed in the graphs belongs to Rigoberto Carvajal, who 
developed the graph for the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism 

Drug Trafficking and Deforestation: the Link 



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Drug trafficking has become a problem in the recent two and a half years. The death 
of Arbildo Meléndez in April 2020, just after the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, 
signaled the start of the violence that would explode in the coming months. Meléndez 
was the head of the Unipacuyacu Indigenous community in Huánuco, which was made 
up of members of the Kakataibo ethnic group. So far this year, four Kakataibo chiefs 
and three Ashaninka leaders have been assassinated. In terms of the existence of 
criminal activities, particularly drug trafficking, Kakataibo lands in both the Ucayali and 
Huánuco regions have become the most critical places. There have been multiple 
reports from multiple journalists that have entered the area and witnessed wreckage 
in the region and deployed a drone to photograph what is thought to be a secret airfield. 
The residents of the town have claimed to be terrified.  

Figure 2: Illegal coca crops in hectares in Loreto, Ucayali, Huánuco and Pasco 

 

*original information portrayed in the graphs belongs to Rigoberto Carvajal, who 
developed the graph for the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism 

Across Ucayali, indigenous tribes confront a similar situation. According to the reports 
by Pareli (2021), as a result of drug trafficking, at least 16 indigenous villages are 
threatened with deforestation. Statistics from 2020 may paint an even bleaker image, 
since Peru lost more forest land last year than it had in the preceding 20 years. "It's 
disgraceful," said IBC's Ráez (2021, para. 23) of Peru's rising deforestation, outpacing 
the 2019 rate by 50,000 hectares. Berlin Diques, president of the Ucayali branch of the 
Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) 
also spoke up last year by saying “During the pandemic, illegality has increased a lot, 
because while we were obedient and did not go anywhere, the criminals continued to 
advance”. The Ministry of Environment indicated in a letter response to Mongabay 
Latam's inquiries that "the regions where the biggest spike in deforestation has been 
detected during 2020 have been Ucayali, Loreto, and Madre de Dios, compared to 



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2019." The motivators have been numerous. The government also reported that 
Indigenous people may have been disproportionately affected by forestry difficulties in 
2020. They have been more vulnerable and prone to a range of diverse and 
unscrupulous agents who have exploited the situation as a result of the absence of 
control measures as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Per a government 
reporter's assessment of deforestation in Peru's five regions, about 276,000 hectares 
worth of forest land have been destroyed inside Indigenous areas in the previous ten 
years. Indigenous regions surrounded by deforestation have appeared, and many of 
its inhabitants have banded together to safeguard their territory. However, their 
rebellions have become exceedingly hazardous. 

Figure 3: Forest Loss 2012-2020 in hectares 

 

*original information portrayed in the graphs belongs to Rigoberto Carvajal, who 
developed the graph for the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism 

Collected Data from the Interviewees 

As previously said, we conducted interviews with four Peruvian students, their ESAN 
University professor, and photographer Goran Jovic. It is crucial to highlight that three 
of the students and the professor were uninformed of the existence of such an 
indigenous group in the first place, therefore they were not much assistance, but rather 
aided in the goal to raise awareness of their presence and difficulties. One of the 
students who had visited the tribe confirmed whatever accurate information we had 
learned on the Internet, but she had nothing new to offer to what we already knew. 
She, on the other hand, mentioned the Yagua's deforestation problem.  ‘’Everything 
they do on a daily basis, everything that they use every day such as tools for hunting, 
or making baskets, or even their clothing, all comes from different types of trees. When 
I visited they showed us different techniques that they use and it was beautiful’’, she 



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commented.  She also added: ‘’the trees are their most precious source to be able to 
continue living and that is why this situation is so devastating to me’’.  Photographer 
Goran Jovic was asked the same questions as he had previously visited and lived with 
the tribe. He refused to comment on matters such as their health care system or the 
"muchacha" situation, but he was unaware of illicit mining and drug operations. 
Regarding their hygiene, he stated that the media's portrayal of them is erroneous; 
they are more exposed to their outside environment, therefore it is unavoidable for 
them to get dirty or muddy, but this does not imply that they have poor hygiene. He 
discussed with us more about their customs and way of life, since his mission is to 
raise awareness of such tribes' ancient practices and the necessity of understanding 
and accepting them. When asked how he felt being among such people, particularly 
the Yagua, he responded:’’ for me, it is a return to the simplicity of life, something that 
we in the modern world have somewhat lost along the way”.  

Conclusion 

Raising public awareness for the difficulties the Yagua tribe faces that include the 
"muchacha" occurrence, their medical system, and illegal mining, forestry, and 
organized crime is the purpose of this research piece. Their health-care system 
struggles with the entrance and implication of modern medicine as a replacement for 
their traditional methods. With this in mind, as well as their rejection of the medicine, 
or simply poor conditions for it to be excepted, solutions to help improve Yagua's health 
do seem to be mainly precautionary in nature, like vaccination programmers under pre-
vaccine care, the institution of indigenous caregivers, and a reassessment of traditional 
remedies. The "muchacha" phenomenon, or rather the development in the demand for 
such maids, poses a significant danger to the women of Indigenous descent. 
Nonetheless, with the presence of racial awareness in the Yagua women's thoughts, 
new times are on the horizon. Women were historically the most deprived of 
information and talents in society, and they are today recognized as the protectors of 
the elderly, traditions, and the retention of their language. Furthermore, new problems 
have risen in the past two years, especially since the epidemic of the corona 
virus.  Illegal logging and drug trafficking have proven to be severe environmental 
disasters for the indigenous peoples that reside nearby. Both are related to the growing 
issue of deforestation. Indigenous territories encircled by deforestation have emerged, 
and many of its residents have come together to protect their land as a result of the 
consequences. Their uprisings, unfortunately, have grown quite dangerous. According 
to our empirical findings, the plurality of the polled Peruvian fellow-students was 
uninformed of the Yagua people and their challenges. As a result, we agree that 
intercultural and cross-cultural connections, partnerships, and collaborations may 
assist raise awareness of various issues and help us learn about the numerous 
challenges individuals experience throughout the world. It is critical to help them, just 
as they help us in ways we cannot comprehend. 

References 

Chaumeli, J. P. (1984). Between zoo and slavery: The Yagua of Eastern Peru in their 
present situation. IWGIA Publications. 
 
Chaumeil, J. P. (2001). The Blowpipe Indians: Variations on the theme of blowpipe 
and tube among the Yagua Indians of the Peruvian Amazon. In L.M. Rival and 



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N.L.Whitehead (Eds.), Beyond the visible and the material: the Amerindianization of 
society in the work of Peter Rivière (pp. 81-100). Oxford University Press. 
 
Fejos, P. (1943). Ethnography of the Yagua. Viking Fund Publications in 
Anthropology, 1. Viking Foundation. 
 
Gonzalez, A. (2021). Voiceless development, toxic injustice, criminal resistance: A 
study of Peruvian natural resource extraction through the political ecology of voice. 
InIoris, A.A.R. (Eds.)Environment and Development (pp. 305-335). Palgrave 
Macmillan. 
 
Labriola, C. (2009). Environment, culture, and medicinal plant knowledge in an 
indigenous Amazonian community.Florida International University Electronic Theses 
and Dissertations. 143. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/143. 
 
Learn about Yagua indigenous culture. (n.d.). Retrieved from 
https://www.perunorth.com/yagua-indigenous-amazonia. 
 
Payne, D. L. (2007). Source of the Yagua nominal classification system. International 
Journal of American Linguistics, 73(4), 447-474. 
 
Pena, J. G. (2009). A historical reconstruction of the Peba-Yaguan linguistic 
family (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon). 
 
Praeli, Y. S. (2021, November 6). In Peru’s Amazon, deforestation and crime sweep 
through Indigenous communities.Mongabay Retrieved from 
https://news.mongabay.com/2021/11/in-perus-amazon-deforestation-and-crime-
sweep-through-indigenous-communities/ 
 
Toledo, V. M. (2001). Indigenous peoples and biodiversity. Encyclopedia of 
Biodiversity, 3, 451-463. 
 
Yagua Tribe, Peru. (n.d.). Retrieved from 
https://www.anywhere.com/peru/attractions/yagua-tribe-indigenous-culture 
 
Author Notes 
 
Teadora Stefanovska is a first-year student at the University of American College's 
School of Foreign Languages in Skopje, North Macedonia. Teadora is also a 
permanent resident of Skopje. She and her partner chose to research indigenous tribes 
as part of an international competition on the same subject. They came in second place 
thanks to their research project. Her interest in the differences between cultures began 
at a young age, prompting her to constantly research the living standards and traditions 
of people like the Yagua. She believes that such projects can raise awareness and, as 
a result, help those who are less fortunate than others. 
 
Iskra Andreeska is a first year student at University American College Skopje, at the 
faculty of foreign languages. She was born and raised in Ohrid, however, she is now 
located in Skopje for college. Iskra believes indigenous groups play an important role 
in today's world due to the fact that they constantly make efforts to protect our land and 



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biodiversity. By caring and raising awareness about indigenous groups and their 
problems, we also contribute to protecting their rights as well as our environment. 


