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