The Ashéninka Pajonal have lived in the Gran Pajonal region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest for centuries. Their first recorded contact with outsiders was in the 1600s when Franciscan missionaries made expeditions into the area in attempts to interact with the Ashéninka; however, these efforts were largely unsuccessful. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rubber boom in the Amazon had a devastating impact on the Ashéninka Pajonal. They were enslaved, killed, displaced from their lands, and decimated by epidemics brought by rubber traders and workers. Raids and violence between indigenous groups in the region also increased during this time as they were coerced into the rubber trade.

After failed attempts at developing agriculture and settlements by Andean colonists in the Gran Pajonal from the 1930s-1960s, the Ashéninka Pajonal began reasserting control over their ancestral lands and autonomy in the 1980s and 1990s. They formed their own governing body, obtained legal titles to their lands, started bilingual schools, and increasingly integrated into the broader Peruvian society and economy through education, political participation and market activities like coffee cultivation. Throughout this transformative era, the Ashéninka Pajonal steadfastly preserved their cultural identity. By the early 2000s, the Ashéninka Pajonal had made significant strides in self-governance, economic development, education, and guiding their own social and cultural evolution in the Gran Pajonal region.

For generations, the Ashéninka Pajonal practiced semi-nomadic traditions, moving their hilltop villages periodically as part of their indigenous lifestyle. This mobility allowed them to use dispersed resources sustainably while respecting their ancestral beliefs about avoiding lowland areas near water sources, historically thought to be inhabited by spirits. As their cultural

practices have shifted over time, some Ashéninka Pajonal communities have transitioned to permanent valley settlements with reliable water access. Presently, the Ashéninka Pajonal live a daily subsistence lifestyle that is intricately connected to the land. They regularly collect food, with primary crops including manioc and maize, supplemented by coffee cultivation for trade. Given the scarcity of rivers and game in the Pajonal grasslands, their diet predominantly centers on manioc, posing a recurrent challenge of food scarcity.

In their preference for close-knit family units over larger communities, the Ashéninka Pajonal typically inhabit simple dwellings with thatched roofs, open sides and dirt floors. Their semi-nomadic lifestyle and limited material possessions reflect a worldview prioritizing harmony with their rainforest environment over the accumulation of material goods. Despite these ongoing cultural changes and outside influences, the Ashéninka Pajonal have strived to preserve their traditional way of life, maintaining their language and traditional dress, such as long cotton garments with distinctive patterns known as the cushma, and continuing other cultural practices tied to their identity and lands across the generations. Through their ancestral wisdom and inclination to preserve nature, rooted deeply in their traditional spiritual practices, the Ashéninka Pajonal have a propensity to seek harmony between cultural preservation and environmental stewardship.

The Ashéninka Pajonal practice animistic traditions and view spiritual forces as influencing numerous aspects of life. They engage in rituals led by shamans, revered for their ability to navigate the spirit world and heal ailments. Access to the spiritual world is facilitated by the shamans and ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew. Their worldview includes a belief in a spiritual world inhabited by both benevolent and malicious spirits, which they perceive as impacting daily life and protecting the forest. Viewing these rituals as a way to honor their ancestors and guide their future path. In recent years, the Ashéninka Pajonal have been introduced to the gospel through various churches and missionary efforts, including the translation of the New Testament into their local dialect. Over the past decade, evangelical ministries have initiated church-planting initiatives and leadership development programs. As a result, several indigenous evangelical churches are beginning to emerge.

Animism presents a formidable challenge to church planting efforts, as new believers often syncretize their previous worldview with Christianity, endeavoring to navigate both worldviews. Among the Ashéninka Pajonal people, there is a pressing need for ongoing discipleship and teaching to foster a deeply rooted biblical worldview and to prevent division and syncretism among believers. Moreover, the Ashéninka Pajonal community needs enhanced medical facilities, an enhanced educational system, and educators dedicated to both cultural preservation and the holistic development of their students.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move powerfully among the Ashéninka Pajonal people, opening hearts and minds to receive the love of Christ, bringing spiritual renewal, and igniting a fervent desire to follow him wholeheartedly.
Pray that God will raise up faithful church leaders among the Ashéninka Pajonal people, individuals who embody Christ-like character and are equipped to lead their communities to a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus.
Pray for field workers and local leaders to navigate cultural dynamics with wisdom, effectively presenting Christ in ways that resonate with their context and clearly convey the transformative truth of the gospel.
Pray for the ongoing church planting efforts among the Ashéninka Pajonal people, may the Lord raise up strong local leaders who are deeply rooted in the word of God and committed to shepherding new believers with integrity and humility.

Scripture Prayers for the Asheninka, Pajonal in Peru.

https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/Povo:Ashaninka https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/50915 https://singingtotheplants.com/2007/12/cushma/ https://open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0396913