Ese Ejja

Ese Ejja

Ese Ejja Village. Tambopata Rezerve, Peru
Total population
(1,770 (2000))
Regions with significant populations
Bolivia (1300),  Peru (400-500)
Languages
Ese Ejja language, Spanish
Religion
Christianity, traditional tribal religion

The Ese Ejja are an indigenous people of Bolivia and Peru, in the southwestern Amazon basin. 1,300 Ese Ejja live in Bolivia, in the Pando and Beni Departments, in the foothills along the Beni and the Madre de Dios Rivers. In Peru, they live along the Tambopata and Heath Rivers, near Puerto Maldonado.

Their name derives from their autonym, Ece'je, which means "people." They are also known as the Chama, Ese Eja, Ese Exa, Ese’ejja, Huarayo, Tambopata-Guarayo, or Tiatinagua people.

The Ese Ejja language is a Tacanan language, spoken by all ages, and written in the Latin script. A dictionary has been produced for the language.

Ese Ejja people are traditionally hunter-gathers, farmers, rangers, and fishermen.