| When thinking about the Spanish conquerors' | | | | the contemporary world. The forest is their |
| arrival to the Kingdom of Quito, Ecuador, it is | | | | home, and they consider the outside world to be |
| impossible not to imagine how astonished would | | | | unsafe. Among their beliefs is found that of |
| they have felt by looking at the various social | | | | afterlife. According to them, a person who dies |
| settlements and realizing how different could their | | | | walks a trail to the next life guarded by large |
| culture and customs be, regardless of being | | | | python. Those who cannot escape the snake fail |
| separated by very short distances. This diversity | | | | to enter the spirits' domain and return to Earth to |
| is still found today in Ecuador, a multi-ethnic and | | | | become animals. Another Huaorani belief is that |
| thus multicultural nation that is nowadays home to | | | | deer's eyes are similar to those of humans, and |
| fourteen ethnic groups, living in more than sixteen | | | | therefore they shall not hunt and eat them. |
| communities. Among these indigenous groups we | | | | Living south of the Huaorani settlements are |
| can find the Huaorani and the Achuar, both | | | | found the Achuars, formed by 28 communities |
| communities that have stood out as nature's | | | | settled in the provinces of Morona Santiago and |
| guardians. | | | | Pastaza, being Kapawi their most internationally |
| The Huaorani have a population of 4.000 people, | | | | famous community. They are sedentary people |
| located inside the Ecuadorian Amazon basin, in the | | | | that inhabit the Amazon region and are deeply |
| provinces of Orellana, Pastaza and Napo, which | | | | attached to it, something of great importance |
| comprised in a 6,125km² (3805sq.mi) area | | | | when it comes to defending that area. The |
| considered by the Ecuador government, since | | | | Achuar people preserve old practices such as |
| 1990, an untouchable indigenous reserve, thanks | | | | polygamy, something that results into big, |
| to its support and conservation of ethnical | | | | expanded families living at the same house. |
| customs and beliefs policy. Their reserve overlaps | | | | Marriages are typically made of partners |
| with the Yasunà National Park, one of the most | | | | somehow related or, in some instances, women |
| biologically diverse places on Earth, something that | | | | are taken from nearby tribes. The size of the |
| provides them some measure of environmental | | | | house plays a primordial part in the self-esteem of |
| protection and, at the same time, makes them its | | | | an Achuar man. The bigger the house, the more |
| primary defenders, given their belief of respecting | | | | wives and children can fit on it, and therefore |
| everything that exists. | | | | they're more likely to be considered a juunt, or |
| The Huaorani people are known for taking the | | | | "great man". |
| decision to live in complete isolation, away from | | | | |