Ishir Ybytoso
A people of the Paraguay River in Alto Paraguay, formerly called Chamacoco, with fibre and feather craft.
What it is
The Ishir Ybytoso live along the Paraguay River in Alto Paraguay, mainly in the Fuerte Olimpo district and between Bahía Negra and Puerto La Esperanza. Their language, Ishir (Yshyr), is of the Zamuco family and UNESCO classifies it as endangered. Ishir is the word they use for themselves and means 'person'. According to the INE, part of the population (about 370 people) lives in the Central department, in urban areas.
Culture
Ishir society is organised in totemic clans, and villages were arranged in a crescent shape. Part of the community adopted evangelical Christianity and left traditional rituals. Women make karanda'y basketry; feather art is tied to ceremonial life and should not be treated as a souvenir. If you want to approach their crafts, do so at the Instituto Paraguayo de Artesanía fairs or at the artisan houses the communities themselves open, and do not enter a community without an invitation and prior arrangement. To learn more, the Museo Etnográfico Dr. Andrés Barbero (Asunción) and the Centro de Artes Visuales / Museo del Barro, which holds an Indigenous art collection, are two starting points; check opening hours before you go.
Where they live
Alto Paraguay
If you visit a community, do so with permission from its leaders or through Indigenous organizations, and ask before taking photos.
Indigenous peoples
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 6 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.