Waorani people
Waorani leader Alicia Cawiya | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| approx. 2,500 (various post-2001 est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Waorani settlements: approx. 4,000. Nomadic "uncontacted": Tagaeri, Taromenane, Huiñatare, and Oñamenane: approx. 250. | |
| Languages | |
| Waorani, Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Animism, Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Kichwa, Shuar, Achuar, Siona, Secoya, Shiwiar, Záparo, Cofán |
The Waorani, Waodani, or Huaorani, also known as the Waos, are an Indigenous people from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador (Napo, Orellana, and Pastaza Provinces) who have marked differences from other ethnic groups from Ecuador.
They comprise almost 4,000 inhabitants and speak the Waorani language, also known as Huoarani, Wao, and Sapela, a linguistic isolate that is not known to be related to any other language.
Their ancestral lands are located between the Curaray and Napo rivers, about 80 km (50 miles) south of El Coca. Since the 1940s, Their territory, approximately 190 km (120 miles) wide and 120-160 km (75 to 100 miles) from north to south, has been threatened by the oil industry and illegal logging. In the past, Waorani were able to protect their culture and lands from both indigenous enemies and settlers by force of arms.
In the last 60 years, they have forcibly shifted from a hunting and gathering society to living mostly in permanent forest settlements. As many as five communities, the Tagaeri the Huiñatare, the Oñamenane, and two groups of the Taromenane, remain in voluntary isolation.