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
20 core words in Shuar
Water
yumi
/jumi/
Fire
ji
/dʒi/
Sun
etsa
/etsa/
Moon
nantu
/nantu/
Mother
nukur
/nukuɾ/
Father
apar
/apaɾ/
Eat
yuata
/juata/
Drink
umarta
/umaɾta/
Love
anentaiti
/anentaiti/
Heart
enentai
/enentai/
Tree
numi
/numi/
House
jea
/dʒea/
Dog
yawá
/jaˈwa/
Cat
micha
/mitʃa/
Hand
uwej
/uwedʒ/
Eye
jii
/dʒiː/
Hello
pujamek
/pudʒamek/
Thank you
yuminsajme
/juminsadʒme/
One
chikichik
/tʃikitʃik/
Good
penker
/peŋkeɾ/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Jivaroan languages
| Meaning | Shuar | Achuar | Aguaruna | Tumbuka | Central Alaskan Yupik | Chewa | Shambala |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yumi /jumi/ | yumi /jumi/ | yumi /jumi/ | maji /madʒi/ | meq /meq/ | madzi /madzi/ | mazi /mazi/ |
| Fire | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | úkam /úkam/ | moto /moto/ | keneq /keneq/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | etsa /etsa/ | etsa /etsa/ | etsá /etsá/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | akerta /akerta/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ |
| Moon | nantu /nantu/ | nantu /nantu/ | nántu /nántu/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | iraluq /iraluq/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Mother | nukur /nukuɾ/ | nukur /nukuɾ/ | dukú /dukú/ | amama /amama/ | aana /aːna/ | amayi /amaji/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | apar /apaɾ/ | apar /apaɾ/ | apá /apá/ | adada /adada/ | ata /ata/ | abambo /abambo/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | yuata /juata/ | yuata /juata/ | yuwámu /juwámu/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | ner'uq /nerʔuq/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuya /kuja/ |
| Drink | umarta /umaɾta/ | umarta /umaɾta/ | úmag /úmaɡ/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | mertuq /mertuq/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Love | anentaiti /anentaiti/ | anentin /anentin/ | amaja /amaha/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ | kenka /kenka/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kwenda /kwenda/ |
| Heart | enentai /enentai/ | enentai /enentai/ | anéntai /anɛ́ntaj/ | mtima /mtima/ | irua /irua/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ |
| Tree | numi /numi/ | numi /numi/ | númi /númi/ | khuni /kʰuni/ | napa /napa/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mti /mti/ |
| House | jea /dʒea/ | jea /dʒea/ | jegámu /heɡámu/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | ena /ena/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | yawá /jaˈwa/ | yawa /jawa/ | yawá /jawá/ | ncheŵe /ntʃewe/ | qimugta /qimuɣta/ | galu /ɡalu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | micha /mitʃa/ | micha /mitʃa/ | micha /mitʃa/ | chona /tʃona/ | qassraaraq /qassraːraq/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | uwej /uwedʒ/ | uwej /uwedʒ/ | uwéj /uwéh/ | woko /woko/ | unirak /unirak/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | ukono /ukono/ |
| Eye | jii /dʒiː/ | jii /dʒiː/ | jíi /híː/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | ii /iː/ | diso /diso/ | izo /izo/ |
| Hello | pujamek /pudʒamek/ | pujamek /pudʒamek/ | pujámek /puhámɛk/ | monire /moniɾe/ | waqaa /waqaː/ | moni /moni/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ |
| Thank you | yuminsajme /juminsadʒme/ | mai-tikut /majtikut/ | see /sɛː/ | yewo /jewo/ | quyana /qujana/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | asante /asante/ |
| One | chikichik /tʃikitʃik/ | kichik /kitʃik/ | makichik /makitʃik/ | cimoza /tʃimoza/ | ataucik /atautʃik/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | imo /imo/ |
| Good | penker /peŋkeɾ/ | penker /peŋkeɾ/ | ímia /ímia/ | cwemi /tʃwemi/ | assirtuq /asːirtuq/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | hedi /hedi/ |
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