Secoya language

Tucanoan language spoken in Ecuador and Peru Secoya (also known as Sieko Coca, Paicoca and Airo Pãi) is a Western Tucanoan language spoken by the Secoya people of Ecuador and Peru. Included among the Secoya are a number of people called Angoteros. Although their language comprises only some dialectal differences of Secoya, there are no other communicative obstacles present. The Siona of the Eno River, linguistically different from the Siona of the Putumayo, say there are significant dialectal differences between their language and Secoya, but are still considered a part of them. In ethnographic publications, the Secoya go by other alternate names as well: Encabellado, Pioje (meaning "no" in Secoya), Santa Maria, and Angutera. Endangerment The Ecuadorian-Peruvian War in 1941 had a great impact on the life of the Secoya after it created a separation of the local groups by splitting up the region. This division resulted in the obsolescence of many customs and traditions that were once prevalent in their culture. In the early 1970s, the Texaco and Gulf Oil companies converged on Ecuador when massive petroleum reserves were discovered underground. The extensive periods of oil drilling