We woke up at 4:30 on Thursday and took a 9 hour bus ride/30 minute canoe ride into the Amazon jungle (a little too close to Colombia for the State Department's liking...) where we lived with the Secoya tribe for a few nights. One of the main focuses of the trip was to understand the Texaco/Petroecuador situation and how they are exploiting native tribes and destroying the Amazon Rainforest bit by bit.
The canoe ride to the community at sunset. Didn't see any monkeys or crocodiles.
This is our campsite. The tents were SO hot at night, it was miserable, but we couldn't sleep outside of them for fear of getting eaten alive by bugs.
Caesar painting my face.
The next morning, after an early morning hike in the jungle to hear the birds, monkeys, and see the tarantulas the size of my face (so gross), we hung out with the Secoya people. They painted our faces with berries. We look fierce.
We also had a pottery lesson. This woman is the mother/grandmother of the two guys in charge of the turismo comunitaro, Caesar and Wilbur. There are 4 generations of their family living in the community. We loved those guys so much.
They even put on a tribal dance in traditional get-up for us.
Because the day was so hot, after lunch and a chat with the tribe teacher (specializing in bilingual education of Secoya/Castellano), we hopped in the boat and cruised to a nearby "beach" where we swam in the river. Later we found out that the river does indeed have piranhas, crocodiles, and even anacondas further down stream. Terrifying.
That night we had the community Shaman come and talk to us about traditional medicine. He even cured a few of my friends, in a much more legitimate manner than the Cuy Man. How did he do it? With chanting, smoking tobacco, and at least 12 shots of Rum. We had to canoe him home in the morning because he was very chuchaki (hungover), and wasn't trusted to float down the river by himself. But apparently the curing might have worked!
The next day was filled with more wandering through the jungle to learn about plants and animals, more food, and more swimming. We did have to leave that afternoon, but the trip wasn't over. We drove to a city that exists solely due to the petroleum boom in the area, where we were able to shower and eat some ice cream in an air conditioned hotel. It was lovely.
On Sunday we went on a tour of the historic petroleum sites in the area.
This is the first pozo (well) put in by Texaco in the 1960s. When they first started it up, oil shot over 100 meters into the air and contaminated everyone and everything in the nearby area. Gross.
Ready to cross the oil polluted waters in our botas! Our bus had to be ferried across the river in order to continue the tour.
Want to drink the water that that came out of? Didn't think so. This is our guide showing us just how polluted everything is around the area. Supposedly, Texaco and Petroecuador said the water that we were standing in was potable and no harm would come from drinking it. So. Gross.
And after another 10 hours in the bus we returned to Quito only to be bombarded with the homework we had neglected all weekend. But it was an amazing trip and so influential. I almost didn't mind the heat and humidity.
Have a great week!
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