Return to the rainforest

Return to Kapawi 

The rainforest calls to me. Once a person spends some time so close to nature, it attaches itself to you at some level. I feel this longing to stand among the ancient trees. Perhaps it is Arutam, the ancient wisdom residing in the forest.   

Post written in 2014
I am returning to Kapawi Ecolodge. This will be my first time back since publishing “The Achuar of the Pastaza River”. I will be doing further research. I have in mind to visit with my acquaintances in Kusutkau, Kapawi and Wachirpas communities. They are lovely people and it will be good to see them again. They were helpful in providing me with the information needed for my book. The same can be said for the staff at Kapawi Ecolodge. I am quite excited to be returning to see my Achuar friends there. 

I will be visiting a new community this trip. Remigo invited me to visit his community, Ishpingo, when I was in Kapawi in 2011. He has since moved to a new community, Pukuan, formed with his brothers and nephews. I am honored to be their first outside visitor. 

I will also be doing further editing and research. So there are several reasons to return to Kapawi. 

As exciting as the prospect of returning to Kapawi is, there is the reality of preparing for the trip. Setting the dates to be in the lodge was the first hurdle. Then the preparations began. First to consider are health precautions. I checked the CDC website for information. Checkhttp://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ecuador. 

In addition to being up to date on routine vaccinations (polio, MMR, DDP, chicken pox, and flu) the health risks in Ecuador indicate the need for the following vaccinations: hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, rabies, and yellow fever. For malaria prevention, I will be taking one mefloqunine for the next 8 weeks. Then there are other health risks to prepare for, too. I have to filter my drinking water, or boil it. I need mosquito netting over my bed while in Remigio’s community. I will be buying the netting in Quito, and am taking a water filter. 

I know I will have to keep in mind the mantra “cook it, peel it or don't eat it” while I am visiting the communities. The most challenging is the chicha (manioc beer). Since the preparation process involves saliva, it is on the “should not” list, but it is cultural protocol to drink it when offered (which is often). This does cause a dilemma. To be socially correct, I must accept it. But my physician told me it is not a good idea. When I last visited the communities, my interpreter explained that I was allergic to alcohol. In fact, medications I take are contraindicative for alcohol. But this was not understood, and I was served chicha anyway. At first I just politely held the bowl. But eventually I did partake, even if small sips. The bowl is constantly refilled, so you can never get to the bottom any way. Fortunately, I escaped any illness that might come  from drinking the chicha. We will see how it goes this trip.

So, the prep for the trip goes on. I created a medical kit containing any items ordinarily on hand at home. There is no drugstore in the rainforest. Hopefully I will not  need most of the items. But I will be prepared! Cuts, burns, bites, fungus, headaches, sore throat…

With the health considerations taken care of, now I will pack my clothes. Since part of the travel to get to the lodge involves a small aircraft and a large canoe, I am restricted to 25 pounds. 

More on how this all worked out next time.

Return to Kapawi

The rainforest calls to me. Once a person spends some time so close to nature, it attaches itself to you at some level. I feel this longing to stand among the ancient trees. Perhaps it is Arutam, ancient wisdom residing in the forest.   

I am returning to Kapawi Ecolodge. This will be my first time back since publishing “The Achuar of the Pastaza River”. I will be doing further research. I have in mind to visit with my acquaintances in Kusutkau, Kapawi and Wachirpas communities. They are lovely people and it will be good to see them again. They were helpful in providing me with the information needed for my book. The same can be said for the staff at Kapawi Ecolodge. 

I am quite excited to be returning to see my Achuar friends there. 

I will be visiting a new community this trip. Remigo invited me to visit his community when I was in Kapawi in 2011. He has since moved to a new community, formed with his brothers and nephews. I am honored to be their first outside visitor. 

So there are various reasons to return to Kapawi. 

As exciting as the prospect of return to Kapawi, there is the reality of preparing for the trip. Setting the dates to be in the lodge was the first hurdle. Then the preparations began. First to consider are health precautions. I checked the CDC website for information. Checkhttp://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ecuador. 

In addition to being up to date on routine vaccinations (polio, MMR, DDP, chicken pox, and flu) the health risks in Ecuador indicate the need for the following vaccinations: hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, rabies, and yellow fever. For malaria prevention, I will be taking one mefloqunine for the next 8 weeks. Then there are other health risks to prepare for, too. I have to filter my drinking water, or boil it. I need mosquito netting over my bed while in Remigio’s community. I will be buying the netting in Quito, and am taking a water filter. 

I know I will have to keep in mind the mantra “cook it, peel it or don't eat it” while I am visiting the communities. The most challenging is the chicha (manioc beer). Since the preparation process involves saliva, it is on the “should not” list, but it is cultural protocol to drink it when offered (which is often). This does cause a dilemma. To be socially correct, I must accept it. But my physician told me it is not a good idea. When I last visited the communities, my interpreter explained that I was allergic to alcohol. In fact, medications I take are contraindicative for alcohol. But this was not understood, and I was served chicha anyway. At first I just politely held the bowl. But eventually I did partake, even if small sips. The bowl is constantly refilled, so you can never get to the bottom any way. Fortunately, I escaped illness caused by the chicha. We will see how it goes this trip.

So, the prep for the trip goes on. I created a medical kit containing any items ordinarily on hand at home. There is no drugstore in the rainforest. Hopefully I will not  need most of the items. But I will be prepared! Cuts, burns, bites, fungus, headaches, sore throat…

With the health considerations taken care of, now I will pack my clothes. Since part of the travel to get to the lodge involves a small aircraft and a large canoe, I am restricted to 25 pounds. 

More on how this all worked out next time.

Baby steps

The first step in starting my research began long before I set foot in Ecuador. I researched on the web and read numerous books on the rainforest and indigenous peoples. Information on the Achuar was quite limited at that time. I prepared outlines and questions for my interviews with the Achuar. I also spend many hours in my attempt to learn Spanish.  There was also the preparation for the trip itself.

Now that I will be returning to the rainforest, I am remembering what I had to do to prepare for my first research trip.  I checked with the health department to find out what immunizations were required and what were recommended. Recommended were Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Rabies, MMR, and Tetanus. I decided I needed the rabies protection, since I would be staying in the communities. Ten Achuar children died from rabies transmitted by vampire bats in Morona Santiago province in 2011. This is the area where I would be staying. It is not possible to get the needed immunizations in Yuma, AZ. I had to travel to El Centro, CA. I visited my primary provider for scripts for mefloqunine, cipro, an anti-dirrheal, and an anti-fungal cream. I also needed an adequate supply of my regular scripts.

Then came the decisions about what to take. I was allowed 25 pounds. The last legs of the journey to Kapawi ecolodge are in a small aircraft and then a canoe. Less is more when traveling that way. Packing was very challenging.  I would be staying in Kapawi for 7 weeks. The lodge provided a list of suggestions for the tourists that visit for a 3 or 5 days stay. Three changes of clothes and knee socks. limited personal items.That was a start. Eco-friendly shampoo/soap would be provided at the lodge. Electricity would be available for recharging cameras. What is important is long sleeves, long pants, and knee-high socks to help prevent insect bites.  I would need lots of flashlight batteries, insect repellent and hand sterilizer. One mistake I made was to take my lace-up hiking shoes. After one hike in the rain they never dried out! I packed and repacked many times, continually triaging and eliminating items. Surprising what  you can manage without when you have a 25 pound limit! What I will take this time is powdered gator aide and chocolate.

My journey from Yuma to phoenix to Miami to Quito went well. I arrived at the hotel late and had an early morning meeting with the Kapawi staff in the Quito office. We reviewed the logistics and discussed the parameters of the project. Fortunately, their English was better than my Spanish. Since we were meeting for the first time, it was a relief to find such able, helpful, and cordial staff. The following day was sightseeing around Quito and dinner with   Sebastian, our Ecuadorian naturalist guide from 2008. We had a wonderful visit and he gave me guidance regarding my stay in the communities.

Next, the bus ride through the Valley of Volcanos to reach Shell, Ecuador

e-version

"The Achuar of the Pastaza River" is now available in e-version. It is available on Amazon.com. Kindle Edition Auto-delivered wirelessly

To convert a print book to e version format is time consuming. I thought removing page numbers was all I would have to do. I found out it is much more. There are many format and font issues. Especially when there are photos and captions. I decided to pay for the service. That did not work out as well as it could have. The conversion process took two 2 months. There were many wrinkles in the process.

The importance of an e-version out weighs the frustration and personal time involved in producing it. The book will now be more accessible and portable. Ecotourists, naturalist guides and volunteers going to the Amazon can download the book at any time. It is a great resource. I hope it is enjoyed by many.

Writing a manuscript is just a start...

My initial project was to live with the Achuar and write a book about their culture. Kapawi Manager Andrés Ordóñez arranged for me to live at the lodge and visit 6 communities. During my stay I interviewed many people, took photographs and observed the Achuar way of life.

It was a new challenge for me to be in a foreign land, not speak the native language and not be able to go anywhere without a guide. The Achuar are a warm and accepting people. I was welcomed and they tolerated my endless questions.

Little did I know that when I started this project, I would also be the publisher, and then do the conversion to e-format. I have learned much more working on the book "The Achuar of the Pastaza River" than the Achuar culture.

I will go back to Kapawi and do follow-up research and visit my Achuar friends. I miss them and look forward to seeing them again and learning more about them.

And I will have many more questions for them.

Miami to Quito

I must admit, taking on a project that involved living in a foreign country for 7 weeks and not speaking the native language was daunting. But in retrospect, I did fine with limited Spanish skills and no Achuar language skills.

While waiting in the Miami-Dade International Airport for my flight to Quito, I met someone who was from Quito and worked as a cook in Coca, an oil village near Quito. Ironic that I would meet someone who worked for a German oil company while I was concerned about the oil development on Achuar territory. She had been visiting her daughter in the States and was now headed home. She spoke English quite well and spent the hours talking about her family and my plans while in Ecuador. She invited me to stay with her in Quito. Such a lovely lady.

Arriving in Quito sent us on our separate ways. I had a reservation at a hotel, and the next morning a 7 a.m. meeting with Pedro A. Pedro and I had been e-mailing and skyping for a year or so to work out all of the details regarding writing a book about the Achuar. He was my contact person at the Kapawi Ecolodge Quito office.

More Preparation

I do not speak Spanish. I have taken classes throughout my life, but it doesn’t take. I tried Rosetta Stone, and then a quick intensive study with a friend who is a linguist. All to no avail. So I head out, trusting that my rudimentary Spanish skills will get me through. I will have interpreters sometimes, but I have to get to Kapawi first. I will be traveling in Ecuador. Their language is Spanish. 

Preparation

The proposal was accepted! Now, to prepare for 7 weeks in the rainforest. There were immunizations to get, a supply of preventative meds., quick-dry clothes to round up, knee socks, personal items, flashlight, batteries, binocs, camera, laptop… the list was long, the space in one duffle small. The weight limits were challenging. The small planes that fly from Shell to an Achuar community transport tourists to the lodge as well as supplies. Everything has to be flown in. That means each person is limited to 25 pounds. That was a big challenge. I tried to think of every contingency.

Persistence

After I made the decision to write a book about the Achuar culture, I had to find a way to do field work in Kapawi. This process lasted over two years.  I wrote many inquiries, to many places. Finally, when I thought it was not going to work, I received communication from the Kapawi Ecolodge headquarters in Quito. Viviana had received my request and left it for her predecessor, Pedro. I have never met Viviana, but she is the one that set everything in motion. Andrés, manager of the Ecolodge, assigned Pedro to work on the possibilities of a book. I was asked to submit a proposal. Finally, after so long, I would have an opportunity to explain my vision.

Birth of an idea

New Book:

The Achuar of the Pastaza River

A Glimpse into Their Lives

The birth of an idea:

What started out as a short excursion in the Amazon rainforest turned into a three year project. My husband and I spent three days at Kapawi Ecolodge in 2008. We enjoyed the hiking and bird watching excursions, but had minimal contact with the Achuar culture.

After returning to our desert home in AZ I just could not get the Achuar out of my mind. I wanted to know more, and further, I wanted the information about their rich culture to be available to the naturalist guides and the tourists who visit the ecolodge from around the world.

That was the beginning of a two year endeavor to make contact with someone in Kapawi who shared my vision and could help make it happen.

The book is now available on Amazon.com, and CreateSpace

Book about the Achuar of the Ecuadorian rainforest