Shuar Chicham
Shuar
Jivaroan
Shuar (Shuar Chicham) is the principal Jivaroan language, spoken by the Shuar people of Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon. Historically infamous in Western anthropology for the tsantsa (shrunken-head) practice — a now-discontinued mortuary ritual that was extensively misrepresented in 19th-20th century travel literature. The Shuar Federation (1964) was a pioneering indigenous rights organization. Closely related to Awajún (Aguaruna) and Achuar within the Jivaroan family. Active intergenerational use; bilingual education programs in Spanish and Shuar across Ecuador.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Shuar
Water
yumi
/jumi/
Fire
ji
/hi/
Sun
etsa
/etsa/
Moon
nantu
/nantu/
Star
yaa
/jaː/
Mother
nukur
/nukuɾ/
Father
apar
/apaɾ/
I
wi
/wi/
You
ame
/ame/
Name
naari
/naːɾi/
Eye
jii
/hiː/
Hand
uwej
/uweh/
Heart
enentai
/enentai/
Love
anentaiti
/anentaiti/
Tree
numi
/numi/
House
jea
/hea/
Dog
yawá
/jaˈwa/
Cat
micha
/mitʃa/
Eat
yuata
/juata/
Drink
umarta
/umaɾta/
One
chikichik
/tʃikitʃik/
Two
jimiará
/himiaɾa/
Hello
pujamek
/puhamek/
Thank you
yuminsajme
/juminsahme/
Good
penker
/peŋkeɾ/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Jivaroan languages
| Meaning | Shuar | Achuar | Aguaruna | Central Alaskan Yupik | Tangkhul Naga | Japanese (Osaka) | Japanese (Hiroshima) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yumi /jumi/ | yumi /jumi/ | yumi /jumi/ | meq /meq/ | ze /ze/ | 水 /mizɯ/ | 水 /mizɯ/ |
| Fire | ji /hi/ | ji /hi/ | jii /hiː/ | keneq /keneq/ | mei /mei/ | 火 /hi/ | 火 /hi/ |
| Sun | etsa /etsa/ | etsa /etsa/ | etsá /etsá/ | akerta /akerta/ | nyithui /ɲitʰui/ | 日 /hi/ | 日 /hi/ |
| Moon | nantu /nantu/ | nantu /nantu/ | nántu /nántu/ | iraluq /iraluq/ | lai /lai/ | 月 /tsɯki/ | 月 /tsɯki/ |
| Star | yaa /jaː/ | yaa /jaː/ | yaya /jaja/ | agyaq /aɣjaq/ | sira /siraː/ | 星 /hoɕi/ | 星 /hoɕi/ |
| Mother | nukur /nukuɾ/ | nukur /nukuɾ/ | dukú /dukú/ | aana /aːna/ | ina /ina/ | おかん /okaɴ/ | おふくろ /oɸɯkɯɾo/ |
| Father | apar /apaɾ/ | apar /apaɾ/ | apá /apá/ | ata /ata/ | apa /apa/ | おとん /otoɴ/ | 親父 /ojadʑi/ |
| I | wi /wi/ | wi /wi/ | wi /wi/ | wiinga /wiːŋa/ | i /i/ | わし /waɕi/ | わし /waɕi/ |
| You | ame /ame/ | ame /ame/ | amé /ame/ | elpet /əɬpət/ | na /na/ | あんた /anta/ | あんた /anta/ |
| Name | naari /naːɾi/ | naari /naːɾi/ | daaji /daːhi/ | ateq /atəq/ | amin /amin/ | 名前 /namae/ | 名前 /namae/ |
| Eye | jii /hiː/ | jii /hiː/ | jíi /híː/ | ii /iː/ | mi /mi/ | 目 /me/ | 目 /me/ |
| Hand | uwej /uweh/ | uwej /uweh/ | uwéj /uwéh/ | unirak /unirak/ | phei /pʰei/ | 手 /te/ | 手 /te/ |
| Heart | enentai /enentai/ | enentai /enentai/ | anéntai /anɛ́ntaj/ | irua /irua/ | mokyaba /mokjaba/ | 心 /kokoɾo/ | 心 /kokoɾo/ |
| Love | anentaiti /anentaiti/ | anentin /anentin/ | amaja /amaha/ | kenka /kenka/ | cha /tʃa/ | 愛 /ai/ | 愛 /ai/ |
| Tree | numi /numi/ | numi /numi/ | númi /númi/ | napa /napa/ | leiyik /leijik/ | 木 /ki/ | 木 /ki/ |
| House | jea /hea/ | jea /hea/ | jegámu /heɡámu/ | ena /ena/ | shim /ʃim/ | 家 /ie/ | 家 /ie/ |
| Dog | yawá /jaˈwa/ | yawa /jawa/ | yawá /jawá/ | qimugta /qimuɣta/ | ui /ui/ | 犬 /inɯ/ | 犬 /inɯ/ |
| Cat | micha /mitʃa/ | micha /mitʃa/ | micha /mitʃa/ | qassraaraq /qassraːraq/ | mibu /mibu/ | 猫 /neko/ | 猫 /neko/ |
| Eat | yuata /juata/ | yuata /juata/ | yuwámu /juwámu/ | ner'uq /nerʔuq/ | ngui /ŋui/ | 食べて /tabete/ | 食べて /tabete/ |
| Drink | umarta /umaɾta/ | umarta /umaɾta/ | úmag /úmaɡ/ | mertuq /mertuq/ | rai /rai/ | 飲んで /nonde/ | 飲んで /nonde/ |
| One | chikichik /tʃikitʃik/ | kichik /kitʃik/ | makichik /makitʃik/ | ataucik /atautʃik/ | kha /kʰa/ | 一 /itɕi/ | 一 /itɕi/ |
| Two | jimiará /himiaɾa/ | jimiar /himiaɾ/ | jimag /himaɡ/ | malruk /maɬʁuk/ | khani /kʰani/ | 二 /ni/ | 二 /ni/ |
| Hello | pujamek /puhamek/ | pujamek /puhamek/ | pujámek /puhámɛk/ | waqaa /waqaː/ | hayau /hajau/ | 毎度 /maido/ | やあ /jaː/ |
| Thank you | yuminsajme /juminsahme/ | mai-tikut /majtikut/ | see /sɛː/ | quyana /qujana/ | ase /ase/ | おおきに /oːkini/ | ありがとう /aɾiɡatoː/ |
| Good | penker /peŋkeɾ/ | penker /peŋkeɾ/ | ímia /ímia/ | assirtuq /asːirtuq/ | kahei /kahei/ | ええ /eː/ | ええ /eː/ |
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