Dayuma

Dayuma (also Dayumae) (born ca. 1930, - March 1, 2014) was a member of the Huaorani tribe and a citizen of Ecuador. She 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. Later Dayuma also became an influential figure in her tribe.

Not long afterwards, while still living at the hacienda and working closely with Rachel Saint, Dayuma became a Christian believer. Rachel Saint began to teach her more about the Bible and Dayuma continued to teach Rachel more of her language. Then in 1958, two women from Dayuma's tribe emerged from the jungle and wanted her to return with them, telling her that her mother, Akawo, was still alive. 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.

Thus began the first peaceful outside contact recorded with the Huaorani tribe. Dayuma taught the language, and also was instrumental in converting much of her family to Christianity. Said Elisabeth Elliot, "Dayuma was the preacher." The teachings of Christianity had a large effect on the tribe; most touted the number of homicides plunged by almost 90%. Dayuma also 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 Toñampade, which is very near where the five missionary men were killed in 1956. It is also the location of theirs and Rachel Saint's graves.

In 1955, Jim Elliot, along with four other male missionaries including Rachel's brother, Nate Saint, were making plans to contact the Huaorani without Rachel's knowledge. They met with Dayuma while Rachel was away and learned Huao phrases from her. When the men first arrived in Huaorani territory in early 1956, they were met by three friendly Huaorani – a man and two women. One of the women was Dayuma's sister, Gimade. One of the reasons that she had come to meet with the missionaries was to see if they knew what had happened to Dayuma. Two days later, the men were killed by a larger group of the Huaorani, including some of Dayuma's immediate family, in unclear circumstances.

Dayuma was born sometime in the early 1930s in the rain forest of eastern Ecuador. As a member of the Huaorani tribe, she grew up among her people in the rain forest.