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The Matsés Indians of Peru (Brazil: Mayorunas) live predominantly along and between rivers Galvez and Yavarí. It is estimated 2200 Matsés live in seventeen communities in the Yavarí Valley of Peru and Brazil, with the majority residing in Peru. They are often referred to as the "cat people" due to their facial tattoos and characteristic "whiskers" women place in their noses. The Matsés revere the jaguar's strength and hunting prowess; to look like the jaguar is to act like the jaguar. The first known contact between the Matses and non-Indian groups occurred in the late nineteenth century. Rubber tappers and skin traders arrived in such numbers that the tribe was nearly exterminated through a combination of diseases for which they had no immunity, warfare at the hands of the new arrivals, and enslavement to larger tribes. In response to this encroachment, in the early 1920s the Matses embarked on what became a fifty-year campaign against other river communities, raiding them and stealing their women, guns and metal tools. This, in turn, sparked tensions with Peruvians and reached its peak in the mid 1960s. The Peruvians of Requena and area formed militias of civilians, law enforcement and military personnel to go on the attack, invading, burning down and even bombing Matsés villages. In 1969, in a move for peace between the government of Peru and the Indians, two female missionaries were accepted by the Matsés communities, ending hostilities. The missionaries had learned to speak the Matsés dialect of Panoan from a Peruvian woman previously kidnapped then freed. Among other accomplishments the missionaries implemented a system of bilingual education (Panoan/Spanish) to improve relations. The Matsés have title to the Matsés Indigenous Reserve, established in 1998. The reserve measures 457,000 hectares. Only in the last few years has a centralized leadership started emerging. Previously they were disorganized and divided due to their traditional systems based on kinship. The physical isolation of their land also makes it difficult for physicians to travel to the Reserve. The traditional religion of the Matsés is animism. Polygamy is acceptable. While largely self-sustaining in the rainforest, the Matsés sell pig hides and meat to trade for other items. Blowguns were used in recent past, at present most use bows and arrows. Shotguns are less common due to the cost of shells. Due to past altercations it is currently impossible to meet the Matsés using commercial tourist guides. As per the community chiefs only Matsés Indians may act as guides.
My ideal trek was to see virgin rainforest. This meant no people, including Indians. It is still the primary reason I continue to hold the trek in Bolivia in higher regard than the trek in Peru. However, having done some post-South American research, I realize due to their isolation meeting Matsés Indians is presently an extremely rare experience for any individual of a culture external to theirs, particularly Western. It was on day ten of the trek Brian, Gary and myself met a group of eight Matsés Indians trekking the Rio Galvez to Requena circuit for items of trade. Among them was a pair of newlyweds -- he being nineteen, she thirteen. On day eleven we walked with the Matsés to Rio Lobo where four other Indian families made their winter home (six thatched huts). At first the three of us were hesitant to stick around. The male elder, aware of the poor reputation of the Matsés and a chance to alter that ("We never get tourists visiting here"), went out of his way to be helpful. The elderly fellow advised Gary of possible walking routes, including a monkey colpa. We were given permission to shoot caimen and monkey for food, to use one of their canoes, to use two huts to set our hammocks in. This is the farthest both Gary and Brian have trekked so they knew very little of the Rio Lobo area. The Indians provided us with a wealth of information and activities. In camp I noticed a few items. A torch used by the Indians is filled with tree resin. Smaller version makes a candle. Stretched pig hides sell in Requena for 12 soles each (about $4 US). Six mangy mutts are present. They help the men hunt for pigs. On day thirteen Brian shot two spider-monkeys. Back in camp one of the women burned the fur, gutted, cleaned and cooked the monkeys. Later Gary comes and gets me. A hunter has killed a kind of sloth monkey I have never seen before, with thick green-tinged fur. Sloths are common pets for the Matsés. They are also frequently hunted and eaten. Day sixteen we traded one man some clothing for three shotgun shells, thanked the Matsés for their hospitality, left Rio Lobo to return overland to Rio Aucayacu. As I expected the adult Matsés were camera reluctant; the children were not. The three children of the family staying in the hut closest to us are pictured above. Below is the father of the three children (looking away). It rained so much in a few days he had to paddle us a couple minutes to dry land to trek back to Rio Aucayacu. Picture three is of the two huts we were allowed to sleep in, mine being on the left. Picture four is the sloth killed by a Matsés hunter. Last image is where I trekked. Public ferry from Iquitos to Jenaro (Genaro) Herrera along Rio Amazonas / Ucayali. Motorized canoe east for a couple hours to a small camp. From here the three of us paddled up Rio Aucayacu, left the canoe, then trekked to Rio Lobo, into Matsés Indian territory. Amazon Rainforest, Peru |
