14 Facts About Dayuma

Dayuma is a central figure in the Operation Auca saga, in that she was the first Huao to convert to Christianity, as well as the missionaries' key to unlocking the Huaorani language, a language that had not been previously studied.

Dayuma was born sometime in the early 1930s in the rain forest of eastern Ecuador.

Dayuma had straight black hair, tea-colored skin, and was a few inches above five feet.

Many of her family urged her not to leave, believing that all outsiders were cannibals, but Dayuma was convinced that her chances of survival were greater if she fled than if she stayed.

When she came to a river at the edge of the jungle, Dayuma saw a group of foreigners coming down the river in canoes.

When Dayuma arrived safely on the other side of the river, she called back to the two other girls who had come with her, and they came over as well.

Dayuma lived outside of Huaorani territory on a hacienda for many years.

Dayuma was a great help to Saint, despite the fact that she had forgotten much of her language and did not speak English.

Not long afterwards, while still living at the hacienda and working closely with Rachel Saint, Dayuma converted to Christianity.

Rachel Saint began to teach her more about the Bible and Dayuma continued to teach Rachel more of her language.

Dayuma returned with them, and soon came back to the Quechua village with an invitation for Rachel Saint, along with Elisabeth Elliot and her three-year-old daughter Valerie, to come and live with them.

Dayuma taught the language, and was instrumental in converting much of her family to Christianity.

Dayuma had learned to sew while she was living with the Quechuas, and she made clothes for her people.

Dayuma remained with the Huaorani until her death in the village of Tonampade, near to where the five missionary men were killed in 1956.