‍Photography: Davis Torres (Xapiri Ground)

The Yine people belong to the Arawak linguistic family, which they share with the Matsigenka, Ashaninka, and Nanty. Historically known as the 'Piros,' they self-identify as Yine—a term from their own language meaning 'true men,' 'human,' or 'the people.' They are indigenous to the Amazonian regions of Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia. In Peru, the Yine reside across three main departments: the provinces of Atalaya and Purús in Ucayali; La Convención in Cusco; and Tambopata, Manu, and Tahuamanu in Madre de Dios. They are organized into 22 officially recognized communities.

The Yine have occupied the upper Ucayali and lower Urubamba basins since pre-Hispanic times. They were known for their trading skills and traded with other groups such as the Matsigenka (RER, 2011). According to several studies, it is mentioned that, since Pre-Inka times, the Yine moved long distances to exchange feathers, ceramics, skins, and live animals for stone axes and metals with the different populations (Smith, 2003).

The Yine people had their first contact with the Spaniards in the 17th century, when the Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries arrived in the Tambo and upper Ucayali rivers, and at the end of the 18th century, they extended their territory towards the Tambo, Ucayali, Cajur, and possibly the Las Piedras rivers. However, after violent encounters with rubber tappers in mid-1893, the Yine people sought refuge in Boca Manu. Later, under the guidance of the Dominican missions, they established a series of settlements, which in 1975 became part of the Native Communities Law (RER, 2003).

According to the Ministry of Culture, the Yine population is estimated at 8,871. However, precise figures remain difficult to determine due to the linguistic diversity within the group. This population includes speakers of three geographical varieties: Yine Manu Haxene, Mantxineri, and the Mashco Piro—the latter being a group living in voluntary isolation (PIACI).

Combining ancestral traditions with modern economic shifts, the Yine people supplement their diet of hunted game and fish with crops like rice and beans grown via slash-and-burn methods as well as more commercial products. While the arrival of hydrocarbon companies has introduced new economic dynamics, the community remains deeply connected to its roots through art. Since May 28, 2019, the Yonga designs produced by Yine women have held the prestigious status of Cultural Heritage of the Nation.

The Xapiri Ground team is collaborating with the 'Mashko Yine' Indigenous Women’s Association of the Monte Salvado community. Founded in 1990 by Yine families from the Urubamba region (Torres, 2023), the community is driven by a vision to 'protect the life of the flora and fauna' within their territory. Located in the Las Piedras river basin in Tambopata, Monte Salvado spans over 36,310 hectares and borders the Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve for Indigenous People in Isolation. Its 70 families sustain themselves through a mix of traditional and seasonal activities, including agriculture, hunting, fishing, Brazil nut harvesting, and artisanal handicrafts. To arrive at the community of Monte Salvado takes about three days by river from the regional hub of Puerto Maldonado.

Monte Salvado is one of the communities with the most evidence and contingency situations with the presence of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) in the last 20 years. As a result, seven community members work as protection agents for the Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Affluents (FENAMAD), which has a control post in the area (Fenamad, 2021).

Since 2017, we have cultivated a collaborative relationship with the Association of Artisans of Monte Salvado, focused on promoting fair trade through traditional arts. A milestone of this partnership occurred in March 2021, when the association’s president at the time, Emily Urquia, held a solo exhibition in our gallery. Like her fellow artists, Emily is driven by a vision to elevate the art of Yine women and ensure that their ancestral design techniques are passed down to future generations.

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_{BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCES:}

_{Alvarez, R. (1970). Los piro: hijos de los dioses. Lima: Centro cultural José Pio Aza .}

_{CILA. (2012). Yine, territorio, historia y cosmovisión. Lima: UNICEF.}

_{Delgado, S. (1968). Cultura (cosmovisión) y salud entre los Piro-Yine. Ayacucho: Medicina tradicional N° 54.}

_{MINCUL. (2019). Documento de declaratoria del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial, pueblo Yine. Lima: MINCUL.}

_{RER. (2011). Tejido Amazónico Yine-Yami. Lima: Centro Cultural José Pío Aza.}

_{Torres, E. F. (2022). Wumolene goshajene: Nuestros parientes del bosque, Relaciones Yine-Mashco Piro en Madre de Dios (Amazonía Peruana). Rio de Janeiro: Universidad federal de Río de Janeiro. Tesis doctoral.}

_{FIELD NOTES: Xapiri Ground}

_{PERSONAL INTERVIEWS: Xapiri Ground}