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The Shiwilu, a.k.a. Jebero, are an Amazonian people from northeastern Peru. Although their population is as high as 2,000, intergenerational transmission of the Shiwilu language ceased decades ago; presently there are only a few elderly speakers. Due to significant loss of traditional culture, language displacement in favor of Spanish, and a high degree of intermarriage with the Mestizo (non-Indian) population, the Shiwilu were undergoing in the twentieth century a process of ethnic disintegration, being even considered part of the Mestizo peasant population. Surprisingly, an internal movement starting in the 1990s promoted the revalorization of Shiwilu identity and led to their reclassification as a distinct indigenous group. The Native language plays a strategic role; it is the only remaining, tangible cultural element that legitimizes the Shiwilu's claim to being an indigenous people and ensures their recognition as such by others. However, this historical moment coincides with what appears to be the imminent disappearance of Shiwilu. This article provides the necessary context to better understand the importance that the Shiwilu place on their ethnic language, and discusses the challenges faced by those working for its survival. Some of the points raised here may be applicable to other peoples in similar situations, both in Amazonia and beyond.
