"Jivaro" is either the Spanish or Quechua word for the Shuar people of Ecuador. "Shuar" is their own word for themselves. The Shuar are famous as former head hunters. This practice was rooted in their belief that maladies of various kinds, magically inflicted upon them by their enemies, could be remedied by hunting the perpetrator and shrinking his head. The shrunken head would be displayed on their dwellings to ward off future curses.
