Cambeba people

The Omagua (also Umawa, Umanas or Cambevas, " flat heads " ) are or were a South American ethnic group in the Marañón and Amazon River in Peru and in the western border area of Brazil.

The term " flat heads " came from the fact that according to reports by the chroniclers Omagua infants boards on the head tied, so that the head would receive a correspondingly flat, " beautiful " form.

In the 16th century attracted rumors about their alleged wealth adventurers from Europe, including 1536 Georg von Speyer, Philipp von Hutten in 1541 and 1560 Pedro de Ursua. 1645 began with the Jesuit missionary and built under Father Samuel Fritz to 1687 about 40 missions. The Omaguas were at the time of the conquest of one of the greatest nations of Amazonia. You are now largely been absorbed into the mestizo population.

The Omagua language is spoken aloud SIL International of less than 100 people in the Amazon at Iquitos ( Peru). In Brazil, it is probably already extinct. The language belongs to the Tupi - Guarani languages ​​and is also related to the nearly extinct language of Cocama the next.

• Indigenous people in South America
• Tupi- Guarani languages
• Ethnicity in Peru
• Indigenous people in Brazil