Indigenous Amazonians on air: 'Shipibo - Konibo' radio broadcasters and their social influence in Peru

• Published in: AlterNative : an international journal of indigenous peoples 2019-06, Vol.15 (2), p.93-100
• Main Authors: Oyarce-Cruz, Jacqueline, Medina Paredes, Melissa, Maier, Markus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Indigenous peoples and mass media; Political participation; Radio broadcasting; Radio stations; Shipibo-Conibo Indians; Social aspects; Social influence; Social life and customs
• ISSN: 1177-1801; 1174-1740
• DOI: 10.1177/1177180118823561

This article describes how Peruvian Shipibo - Konibo people instrumentalize local radio stations to participate in civil society and to become social leaders supported by their communities. The investigational group consisted of Shipibo - Konibo communicators, all of them are men, who work at local radio stations located in the region Ucayali, Amazonas, Peru. The indigenous radio broadcasters interviewed were chosen from the most popular radio stations of Ucayali. Topics in radio programs are politics, corruption, abuse, mishandling, as well as celebrations, traditional holidays, communities' anniversaries, and other cultural activities. Promoting social demands of their localities has given rise to new generations who now attend university and conduct radio programs in Shipibo - Konibo and Spanish, to communicate their concerns. It is an exploratory type research with a qualitative approach, focused on radio programs that got more local audience in the Peruvian Amazonia.