Shipibo Culture in Lima: Visit to an Urban Amazonian Community
Description
This off-the-beaten-path Lima experience is fun, educational and very Peruvian. It is perfect for those that need a break from archeology and architecture but still want to learn more about Peruvian culture and its diversity. On this Lima tour and cultural exchange, we visit an urban community of the Shipibo-Konibo, an indigenous Amazonian people. The Shipibo are known in Peru for their very recognisable art and handicrafts. In particular the Shipibo textiles are very popular Peruvian handicrafts. During the tour, we learn more about Shipibo art, culture and traditions, and their interesting but often tragic history and current efforts to keep their culture alive. We’ll also share with our host family and will see and try out Shipibo techniques for ourselves. If you’re more of an observer, that’s perfectly fine as well!
Tour Options
Itinerary
You’ll head to Cantagallo, the neighborhood where the Shipibo-Konibo settled a long time ago. It is about a 45-minutes drive if the traffic is not too bad but we promise you won’t get bored observing the bustling streets of Lima. You'll meet several members of this urban indigenous community and learn more about their culture, traditions and recent history. You'll hear how these strong Shipibo artisans are fighting to preserve their traditions and keep their culture alive. They struggled and had to start again from the bottom, but they have found a good way to get ahead by showing and teaching their art. Not only the typical Shipibo textiles and handicrafts, but also modern Shipibo fashion.
The very recognisable Shipibo style, which is the foundation not just of their art and handicrafts but of their indigenous culture is named Kené. It was declared a National Cultural Heritage in 2008 and refers to geometric patterns painted or embroidered on the face or body, ceramics or textiles. The designs of kené represent an energy or a positive force. It can be expressed, among others, through embroidery, painting, jewelry and body painting. You will get the chance to try out some of these techniques yourself. This is accompanied by Ikaro singing, medicine songs usually performed by shamans in healing ceremonies. Like all indigenous, they are very spiritual people, even if they live in the big city now.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(2)
I went, along with close friends/family, to visit the Shipibo community in January 2024 and it was enlightening, wonderful and memorable. Before my elopement in Peru, I wanted to have an indigenous ceremony and in my research I came across the Shipibo community that have presence in Lima. We came to the local community and decided that the best way to engage was to listen, learn and share this amazing experience to garner a large global reach. As we arrived we learned that this community is lead by women and they use their skills in beading to sustain their livelihood. The community is set on top of a landfill which they, as best as they can, successfully live on. We were taught the impressive and highly skilled practice of beading along fabric. The time and concentration of the beautiful items sold on streets by the locals, after learning the process, never again would be haggled by myself or anyone in our group. There was also a delicious meal that is prepared that I can taste after nearly a year later. Thank you for the enlightenment of the Shipibo community and walking us through the development sharing your skills with us and a lifetime of memories.
This trip was absolutely the best trip I’ve taken. It was a one on one trip. Beautiful Shipibo family prepared lunch. The embroidery was so beautiful, I bought four textiles. Excellent guide. Very informative guide with excellent English.
