Los Achuar de la Amazonía Peruana
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Women and men create handcrafts. Women mainly weave and make pots and other ceramic items from local types of clay. Men make baskets, canoes, oars, mortars for grinding food, blowguns and other items.
Crowns are made from toucan feathers and are special. Long ago, they were worn by the elder men, but they are now used by Apus, leaders or any other person who would like to wear them. They are worn during assemblies and on special days. Men make the crowns by hand.
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Mocahuas are the bowls in which drinks are served. They are made of clay. This is a handcraft made by women. They are painted with various designs that do not have a particular meaning.
Baskets are used to carry food and other items. They are made by men.
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In early times, the Achuar people wore skirts that they wove from cotton thread that they spun. Nowadays they wear Western dress.
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It is customary to paint the face with achiote, the fruit of a tree of the same name, when we want to look our best, when we are happy or when we feel we are pallid.
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