Cultural Survival of the Shuar

In the past, before Shuar people knew how to speak spanish, they had to make a five day walk to school. Now, knowing spanish, they attend a different kind of school. The Shuar Bilingual-Bicultural Radio was recently set up by the Shuar Federation. This allows the younger generation of Shuar to attend school in their own village rather then make the long journey to school. Since they are at home, they still have the opportunity to not only become educated in general, but to become educated in what it means to be a Shuar.

Not only are these educational radio  broadcasts helping children, they are also helping the elderly become educated as well. Those adults who are not constantly working all day sometimes take the opportunity to sit down and listen and learn.

However, not all of the traditions are still around today. Just a hundred years ago, clothes didn't exist all that much in Shuar culture. It wasn't until the missionaries came in the early 1900s did clothes become a thing in the culture. And look at what the youth is wearing now-a-days! Thats right, school uniforms...

Source: http://uonews.uoregon.edu/archive/news-release/2012/5/study-ecuador-finds-common-health-risk-measure-may-not-be-universal