Sally Medlack, age 14, of New Bedford, Mass., for her question:

WHERE DO THE JIVARO INDIANS LIVE?

Jivaro Indians are a tribe famous for their fierceness and for their head shrinking. They live in eastern Ecuador. Although the Jivaro are spoken of as a tribe, they are actually split into a great many small groups which used to fight among themselves.

About 10,000 Jivaro live in Ecuador today. Fortunately, most of them have given up warfare and live peaceably among themselves and with their neighbors.

In early times, they lived like tropical forest Indians of the Amazon Valley. They planted maize, tobacco and manioc, a root crop. They hunted with blowguns and darts and with spears. They fished with traps and with barbasco, a drug that stupefies fish so they can be speared easily.

The Jivaro of old were famous warriors, who fought mainly to avenge the death of a relative. A victorious warrior beheaded his victim and shrank the head. This tsantsa became a trophy, like a battle medal.