Maina people facts for kids

The Maina (pronounced MY-nah) or Meena were a group of native people who lived in South America. They made their homes along the north bank of the Marañón River. They spoke different kinds of the Omurano language.

The Maina were among the first groups in the upper Amazon River region to learn about the Catholic Church. Because of this, many places and areas were named after them. For example, the province of Mainas covered a large part of what is now Ecuador and northern Peru. This area was east of the main Cordillera mountain range and included the lands around the Huallaga and Ucayali rivers.

The Maina People: Life in the Amazon

The Maina were an ancient culture that enjoyed playing with rubber balls. They called this special material "caucho." This word came from two of their own words: "caa," meaning "wood," and "ochu," meaning "to cry."

How Did They Make Rubber?

The Maina made their rubber by taking sap from a tree they called "heve." This sap was a milky liquid. They would let the sap dry until it became a solid material that could be played with. Today, we call this amazing material "rubber."