Abstract. – Hostile encounters between various indigenous groups from Northwestern Amazonia (Peru, Ecuador) were analysed according to oral reports collected during fieldwork from 1983 onwards. The Secoya narratives provide an emic perspective and stress the extreme fear induced by Huaorani attacs. Other reports refer to hostile encounters with Huitoto who invaded territory inhabited by Secoya ancestors in Peru. The Secoya attribute their successful defense not so much to their fighting techniques, but rather to wise shamans of the past and their mastership of halucinogenics (among other techniques). These informations refer to events which probably occured at the end of the XIX, beginning of XXth century, lacking any correlates in written documents. [Amazonia, Peru, Ecuador, Secoya, Huaorani, encounters, oral tradition]