Yuracaré

Who are the Yuracaré?

The Yuracaré are an indigenous people of Bolivia, living in the forests and plains near the Andes, mainly along the Chapare River watershed. They are one of about 35 indigenous groups in Bolivia. Their identity is closely tied to their land, language, and traditional ways of living in the Amazon lowlands. Community and family ties are strong, and they maintain distinctive customs, including burial practices and forest stewardship.

Where do the Yuracaré live?

The Yuracaré homeland covers about 2,500 square kilometres in the Bolivian lowlands, especially in the Cochabamba and Beni Departments. Their territory includes forests and plains near the foothills of the Andes, along the Chapare River. They live in and around several recognized Indigenous Territories, including the Yuracaré Native Community Land and parts of Isiboro Sécure National Park.

What language do the Yuracaré speak?

The Yuracaré speak the Yuracaré language, which is a language isolate, meaning it is not related to any other known language. The number of speakers is estimated between 500 and 2,500. The language faces pressure from Spanish, but efforts to preserve it continue, including the recent publication of a Yuracaré-Spanish dictionary and grammar.

How do the Yuracaré live?

Traditionally, the Yuracaré rely on foraging and fishing in the forests and rivers of their homeland. They hunt game attracted by fruiting trees, which they help manage and protect. Their diet and way of life are closely linked to the health of the forest. Houses are built from local materials, and tools are adapted to their environment. Forest management is central to their survival and culture.

How is Yuracaré society organised?

Yuracaré society is organized around families and households, with about 400 families in Cochabamba and 62 in Beni. Community decisions are influenced by traditional customs. Burial practices include placing the dead underground with their bow and arrows, reflecting beliefs about the afterlife. Social ties are reinforced by shared language and land.

What do the Yuracaré believe?

The Yuracaré have burial customs that include interring the dead with their bow and arrows, based on the belief that the afterlife is a place underground where game is plentiful. Their traditions have evolved under the influence of Catholicism, especially from Jesuit missions, but many native beliefs and rituals remain important.

The history of the Yuracaré

The Yuracaré have lived in the Bolivian lowlands for generations. Their traditions have survived despite pressures from colonization, Catholic missions, and the spread of Spanish. In the 1990s, they became the first indigenous group in Bolivia to receive official forest management rights and land titles. This recognition supported their efforts to maintain their forest-based way of life.

Yuracaré life today

Today, the Yuracaré face challenges from poverty, language loss, and globalization. Many still live in their traditional territories, but the spread of Spanish and economic pressures threaten their customs. Recent efforts, such as publishing a Yuracaré-Spanish dictionary, aim to preserve their language and culture. Their forest management practices continue to be recognized.

Questions people ask about the Yuracaré

Sources and further reading

• Yuracaré people on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

This page was written with AI assistance from the sources above and checked automatically before publishing. It may contain mistakes, and it is no substitute for hearing from the Yuracaré themselves. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-02.