Huaorani

:This article is about the Auca Indians. For the Ecuadorian soccer team named after the Aucas, see Sociedad Deportiva Aucas.

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The Huaorani, also known as Waorani, Waodani, or Auca (Quechua for "savage"), are an indigenous tribe of the Ecuadorian Oriente (in the Amazon region). The tribe's ancestral lands are currently threatened by oil exploration and illegal logging practices. These homelands are located between the Curaray and Napo rivers, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Dureno. These lands are approximately 120 miles (190 km) wide and 75 to 100 miles (120 to 160 km) from north to south. The Huaorani have guarded their lands from both indigenous foes and outsider colonials (referred to as cowode, literally "nonhuman cannibals").

Related Topics:
Quechua - Tribe - Oil - Logging - Curaray - Napo - Mile - Dureno

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The Huaorani speak a language isolate and comprise approximately 2,000 people. Two communities, the Tagaeri and the Taromenane, have rejected all contact with non-Huaorani, and continuously move into more isolated areas, generally in the direction of the Peruvian border.

Related Topics:
Language isolate - Tagaeri - Taromenane - Peruvian

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