Уру: Жизнь на плавучих островах Титикаки.

Indigenous people of Bolivia and Peru. The Uru or Uros are an indigenous people of Bolivia and Peru. They live on a still growing group of about 120 self fashioned floating islands in Lake Titicaca near Puno. They form three main groups: the Uru Chipaya, Uru Murato, and Uru Iruito. The Uru Iruito still inhabit the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca and the Desaguadero River. The indigenous Urus have darker skin than their neighbours Aymaras and Quechuas.

According to legend, the Uru descend from a people that spoke the Puquina language. While most of the Uru have shifted to Aymara and Spanish, two people still spoke in 2004 the nearly extinct Uru language, which is closely related to the Chipaya language. The Uru considered themselves the owners of the lake and water. According to the legend, Uru used to say that they had black blood, because they did not feel the cold. They historically called themselves Lupihaques, "sons of the Sun". Although the Uru language is nearly extinct, the Uru continue to maintain their identity and some old customs. The larger islands house about ten families, while smaller ones, only about thirty meters wide, house only two or three families. Around 2,000 descendants of the Uru were counted in the 1997 census, although only a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands; most have moved to the mainland. The Uru also bury their dead on the mainland in special cemeteries. Food is classically cooked in pots on pottery stoves; these are placed on flat stones to prevent the flammable reed islands from catching fire. To relieve themselves, tiny 'outhouse' islands are placed near the main islands with simple toilets installed in them. The ground root absorbs the waste. Most islands feature a standardized shower building with tile roofs, water heating cells and a hot water boiler to allow for warm showers. Houses on the floating islands are mostly made of reeds too; some have corrugated metal roofs. Few are insulated. All houses are built on top of an extra layer of dry reeds to prevent rheumatism.

Much of the Urus' diet and medicine also revolve around the same totora reeds used to construct the islands. When a reed is pulled, the white bottom is often eaten for iodine to prevent goitres. This white part of the reed is called the chullo (Aymara ). The Uru rely on totora reeds in the same way that the Andean people of Peru rely on the coca leaf for relief from hunger and the harsh climate. When in pain, they may wrap the reed around the body part that is in pain. If it is hot outside, they sometimes roll the white part of the reed in their hands and split it open, placing the reed on their forehead. In this form, it is very cool to the touch. The white part of the reed is also used to help ease alcohol related hangovers. The totora reeds are a primary source of food. The Uru also make a reed flower tea. Local residents fish ispi, carachi and catfish. Trout was introduced to the lake from Canada in 1940, and kingfish was introduced from Argentina. Uru also hunt birds such as seagulls, ducks and flamingos, and graze their cattle on the islets. They also run crafts stalls aimed at the numerous tourists who visit ten of the islands each year. They barter totora reeds on the mainland in Puno to get products they need, such as quinoa and other foods.

The Uru people have domesticated local animals to assist with producing food and other purposes. For example, cormorants, waterbirds who catch fish, are kept tethered with wool tied to their feet, so that they can catch fish for human consumption. Another local bird, the ibis, is domesticated for laying eggs. Ibis are also butchered for meat. To control rats on the reed islands, domestic cats are also kept by the Uru islanders. Some islands also feature ponds inside the island; yet again some of these are lined with a large fishing net and suggest localised aquaculture. The primary amount of fish is still caught in the wide open of Lake Titicaca.