Research Article

Godparents and Trading Partners: Social and Economic Relations in Peruvian Amazonia*

EVAN KILLICK^a1

^a1 Evan Killick is Research Fellow, Department of Anthropology, at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Email: E.Killick@lse.ac.uk

Abstract

Through an ethnographic account of contemporary relations between Ashéninka men and mestizos on the Ucayali River in Eastern Peru, this article examines how individuals use specific cultural idioms in their attempts to counteract the exploitative nature of economic relations. Specifically the article considers how the institutions of ayompari trading partners and compadrazgo (godparenthood) are used by Ashéninka and mestizo individuals respectively to understand and try to control their relationships within the local economic system of habilitación. The article concludes by noting the continued importance of these individual relationships in light of recent changes to Peru's forestry laws.

Resumen:

A través de un estudio etnográfico de las relaciones contemporáneas entre hombres ashéninka y mestizos en el Río Ucayali del Este de Perú, este artículo examina cómo los individuos usan formas culturales específicas en sus intentos de contrarrestar la naturaleza explotadora de las relaciones económicas. Específicamente, el artículo analiza cómo las instituciones de asociación comercial ayompari y el compadrazgo son utilizadas por individuos ashéninka y mestizos respectivamente para entender y tratar de controlar sus relaciones al interior del sistema económico local de habilitación. El artículo concluye haciendo énfasis en la importancia continua de estas relaciones individuales a la luz de los cambios recientes en las leyes de la silvicultura peruana.

Palabras clave: Perú, Amazonia, compadrazgo, habilitación, negociación

Resumo:

Utilizando um relato etnográfico sobre relações contemporâneas entre homens ashaninka e mestizos no rio Ucayali, no Peru ocidental, esse artigo examina como indivíduos aplicam utilizam idiomas culturais específicos ao tentarem contrabalançar a natureza exploradora das relações econômicas. Especificamente, o artigo considera como as instituições de sócios ayompari e compadrazo (compadrio) são respectivamente usadas por indivíduos ashaninka e mestizos para compreender e controlar suas relações dentro do sistema econômico local de habilitación. À luz de mudanças recentes às nas leis florestais peruanas, o artigo conclui apontando para a importância continuada dessas relações individuais.

Palavras chave: Peru, Amazônia, compadrio, habilitación, comércio.

Key Words:

• Peru;
• Amazonia;
• godparenthood;
• habilitación;
• trade

Footnotes

* The article is based on full-time fieldwork conducted by the author between July 2001 and August 2003 and subsequent visits in August 2006 and May 2007 supported by the Central Research Fund (University of London), the London School of Economics and the Royal Anthropological Institute. The final trip and the writing of this article were supported by an ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PTA-026-27-1354). A version of this paper was presented at the SALSA conference, Santa Fe and I thank participants for their comments and encouragement. My greatest debt remains to the people of the Ucayali for letting me into their lives.