PREHISTORY

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.

19th CENTURY

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.

 

EXPLORERS

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.

SHELL

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.

1941 WAR

In 1941, the war between Ecuador and Peru broke out and divided this group into two nations.

1970´s

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.

EVANGELIZATION

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.

NAE

Since 1991, the majority of the Achuar belong to an organization called NAE (Organization of Ecuadorian Achuar Nationalities).

KAPAWI

In 1995, the Achuar signed an agreement to develop a unique project: The Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve, which became their main source of income.

PACHAMAMA ALLIANCE

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.