SUMMARY

The small Tagaeri community is a subgroup of the Huaorani ethnolinguistic group, but broke off from the main Huaorani group in the 1980s in order to seek further self-isolation in remote jungle areas. It has been reported that the separation was partly motivated by intra-group feuding. However, animosities between the Huaorani and the Tagaeri reportedly continued, occasionally resulting in the use of armed force.

The relationship between Huaorani and Tagaeri has reportedly been strongly affected by the presence of oil companies and illegal loggers of precious wood in the region. The decision by the Tagaeri to separate came after oil extraction led to the displacement of indigenous groups and an increased presence of ‘outsiders’ in the traditional Huaorani territory. It is reported that the main group of Huaorani have established a working relationship with oil companies as well as with illegal loggers, whereas the Tagaeri have been extremely hostile to any contact with these elements. Reportedly, the Tagaeri have also perceived and resented a pressure from the main group of Huaorani to become more ‘civilized’. Some Huaorani are said to have motivated this by the claim that this would ‘please the company’, referring to the oil companies and loggers active in the region who wish to access Tagaeri territory. Within this context, clashes have taken place, where traditional spears as well as shotguns, allegedly provided by illegal loggers, have been used.

The non-state conflict between the Huaorani and the Tagaeri is first recorded in UCDP data in 2003. In May that year, a raid by Huaorani on a Tagaeri settlement resulted in 26 battle-related deaths.