This article scrutinises the impact of ecotourism in Arútam, Ecuador, on the Shuar’s perception of the rain forest, and consequently, on themselves. The Amazon rainforest, which has always been subject to myriad imaginations and desires, gained new momentum in the context of global discourses on environmental protection, biodiversity and conservation. Taking the Shuar’s welcome speech to the tourists as point of departure, we examine conceptions of the rain forest as a “place of intercultural encounter,” as “home of indigenous peoples,” as “lungs of the world,” and show how these notions have been appropriated by the Shuar and integrated in their cultural context. Drawing on fieldwork, we argue that these discourses alter the Shuar’s relationship with the rain for- est and considerably impact their identity and self-conception. Following an intercultural approach (Rappaport 2005), we find that the Shuar transform themselves in this process from postcolonial subjects into knowledgeable custodians of the forest who are able to represent themselves in new ways on the global stage. Keywords: ecotourism, environmental perceptions, Amazonia, Ecuador, Shuar