This is a matriarchal society. When a young man marries, he goes to live in the village or home of his wife's family. Even though the woman is the head of the house she still handles the cooking chores. It is her responsibility to shell the rice, sometimes done in a hollowed-out tree stump, and beaten with a bat-like stick. She also grinds the yuca for making one of their staple foods. The Shipibo women wear skirts, often with geometrical designs painted or embroidered on them. The blouse is short and exposes the midriff. The women are lovers of beads, which indicate their status. For example, the many white beads worn around the waist indicate to the Shipibo world that her husband is a good provider. They also wear many beads around their neck and often a metal disk in their nose. A dye made with juice of the "huito" is used to dye their hair and is also used to put on the babies' heads.

The women spin cotton, weave cloth, and make clay pottery, necklaces and nose rings.

Shipibo men, in early years wore a "cushma" made from homespun cloth and wide bands of beads. They have given up this former type of dress and now ear trousers and shirts. They also cut their hair short. The men hunt and fish, but fish is used in their diet more than wild meat. They are experts in constructing canoes from hard logs, and in making bows and arrows. If a man is accused of adultery, a special knife is used to cut a gash across the back of his head or neck.

When a baby is small a board is tied on the forehead, causing it to flatten. This is a sign of beauty to the Shipibos. However, this custom is not prevalent any longer.

The Shipibos call their god "Inca". They have many stories and legends about him. And example is that the truly stingy Inca had a monopoly of corn, yuca, and fire.

People who tried to get his yuca were stung on the forehead by a swarm of hornets. They fled to the river and turned into crocodiles. Eventually the people killed the "Inca" and in the excitement they smeared themselves with his fat and turned into golden-tailed orioles. Some, with his blood, turned into brilliant red macaws, and some with his gall turned into bluebirds.

When they were told the story about the Gadarene demoniac (how the demons entered the pigs, and the pigs were drowned in the Sea of Galilee), one of the listeners exclaimed, "Now I know where dolphins come from. We never knew that before." To the Shipibo, a dolphin is a water demon. These people worship the boa constrictor, trees, rivers and demons. They greatly fear whirlpools since they believe that they are inhabited by evil spirits.

The Shipibos have many fiestas lasting through the night with beating of drums, dancing and drinking.