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The River is Life

Stories of indigenous communities in the Peruvian rainforest

By Regina Roeder

March 24^th, 2016

It is all about the journey

The clouds still look dramatic while sparkling in different shades of blue and grey whereas the river regains its peacefulness. After a rainstorm, the humidity drops drastically creating a pleasant cool breeze on my skin. I am smiling, because my journey has once again brought me to a place that usually noone gets to experience. A misty film is floating over the palm trees and I realize that I have been waiting for more than 40 hours to hitchhike a boat that probably won’t ever arrive in Peruvian rainforest in a community called Varadero observing the world surrounding me.

“It is all about the journey.” I tell myself to keep the positive mindset, embracing the moment and the beauty surrounding me. Indeed I cannot complain as I am in lovely company of Maria, my newly won friend while listening to the sounds of Salsa music from a small radio in her little store. We talk about gender inequality one of my favourite topics throughout my time in South America. Maria left her husband five years ago and now raises her two children on her own. She is the only single mom in the community and you can probably only imagine how strong of a women you have to be to create an independent lifestyle in general, but even more so in a male dominated society. In the meanwhile I am making a salad for the two of us while the boat drivers are staring at my green, leafy plate. Not a common sight in the rainforest.

Maria (right) and her best friend Nena in front of her shop in Varadero

THE RIVER IS LIFE

Naturally Maria offers me food and accommodation. The generosity of locals in small fishing towns still overwhelms me.

While looking down onto the river and I think to myself: Since there are no roads, people are dependent on the water: They go fishing, head to their farms, drink the water, wash themselves in it and visit other towns with their little wooden canoes. There lies a certain magic and beauty in a lifestyle like this, when taking and giving equalizes.

Roads are not always built to connect

“You know things will change next year.” I hear a voice behind my back. “The Brazilian government is building streets to create access for Chinese interests.” one of Maria's friends is destroying my little river fairy tale. If you followed what has been going on in the rainforests for the past decades we probably agree that no-one is building roads in this part of the world to support indigenous communities. The reason are resources such as oil and gas, to cut down plants and trees that have been growing in the forests for centuries. “We just live day by day and help each other in our small community called Varadero. You probably know from your country, roads bring capitalism which in turn brings change.” He tells me he has worked in France for one year, but returned because he prefers the lifestyle and the values people in the Peruvian rainforest are still holding. It is a taking while giving back to the land. Prayers and gratitude for what has been given and a sharing with those whose harvest or life has been less fortunate.

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It is still early, probably around 6am and I am watching men waking up in their boats somewhere between animals and fruit. After eating Juanes, a typical dish from the region, they start their journey, for another 8 hour boat ride down the river in order to sell their products.

Breakfast and some fruit for on the road

plans are meant to change

Just when I give up on my quest another boat arrives and I ask for the direction. “We are heading to Panang. You wanna come?”

I never made it to Balsapuerto, my destination, where I wanted to chase waterfalls and get to know the Shawi culture. But what I discovered instead was one of the loveliest adventures on my whole journey.

Off to Panang

I had two minutes to decide and since I had a positive feeling about the encounter I say yes. I packed my backpack, my three papayas that some farmers gave me earlier and jumped on the boat. This spontaneous change of plans made my heart beat.

Everyone on the boat belonged to the indigenous Shawi nation that has lived in Peru’s Paranapura basin for centuries. Most of them only speak Shawi, but the younger ones tell me excitedly stories about their culture in Spanish while teaching me some words in their primary language. It is hard to imagine that they are still fighting for recognition and protection of their homeland.

Why has humankind not learnt from its mistakes in the past and is constantly repeating history?

It made me wonder. Where does greed come from? This deep longing for fulfillment. An emptiness that cannot be filled by the outside it can only be found in service for the community.

It breaks my heart seeing how nicely the Shawis treat me, just like one of them, sharing everything with all their heart and soul. At the same time knowing that people of my skin color are heading over to claim their land and destroy the environment, bringing diseases while polluting the river and farmland.

We drive through lush greeneries while the sky turns into a wonderful spectacle of ever changing colours. One girl asks me where I will be staying. Gisbe, the captain who invited me on this journey replies “She is my guest.” I smile thankfully as up to this point I have not even thought about it. It is about to get dark when we arrive in the small community called Panang and the kids help me climbing up a steep hill in order to reach the wooden house, their home. Inside there are only two mosquito nets and a few blankets. There is no electricity and no running water. Anita, Gisbe’s wife brings up a candle and we share a couple of fruits while we start introducing ourselves. A scene full of warmth and heart.

I ask for the washroom. The oldest of four kids, Mauri, takes my hand and brings me to a field of yuca. Due to the full moon it is still light outside and I can actually find myself a nice spot amongst the plants while the moon is reflecting beautifully on the water.

Mauri waits for me in front of the field and together we go back to the house where I put my scarf on the ground to get ready to sleep lying next to the four children. Gisbe tells stories from his boatrides and with the sound of the jungle we all fall asleep.

The next morning I wake up to the sound of screaming kids running around my head. It is misty outside. “We are going to buy corn and plantain, do you want to join us?” Gisbe asks. As I do not have other plans, I hop onto the boat where Franko the navigator already waits. He does not speak, which makes the team quite special on their daily boat adventures.

I am curious about the story behind the captain and start asking questions about his life. Gisbe is not Shawi, but comes from the Peruvian mountains, so we talk in Spanish. He met his girl Anita 8 years ago in Yurimaguas when she was only 14 years old. Now they have four children together. We stop at the first community to ask for plantain. I look into the sun to see what time it might be and guess it is around 7:00am. Time to get served our first masato – a local drink made out of fermented yuca and/or maiz.

The masato smells strong and after my first sip I am awake.

Shawi community and Gisbe and Franko (left)

“No, she is not my sister, but my friend and helps out on the boat to get to know our Shawi culture.” Everyone is asking me a lot of questions and I can tell besides Gisbe there has never been someone outside of the jungle in their community, but it makes me smile since everyone believes I am Peruvian.

I feel comfortable in the community and as we cannot find plantain we continue our quest. Our adventure takes us further along the river while stopping at each community to ask whether they sell anything. Even if they don’t we stop for a little chat and some more masato.

Masato is served in beautiful hand-made pottery

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Masato most usually comes in big portions

The ladies of the community make sure there is no lack of masato

I chose to go for the coconut or fruits against my jungle thirst and while exploring the area a little, I even find a grapefruit tree and ask whether I can take some. “Of course, no one likes those, they are too bitter”.

The ladies in their beautiful traditional clothes gather around the fire, making masato and food from time to time. I, as so often on my journey, sit amongst the men in the shadow as the sun is really hot during midday and we are being served. Talking about gender equality and inequality always makes me wonder. And it is interesting to see how we came to fight for equality and the women of the West became very strong and independent, I include myself here, but then on the other hand we have forgotten how beautiful it is to have the strengths of men and not having to do everything on my own. Will we ever manage to live peacefully together men and women without no-one wanting to rule over the other?

In the meanwhile the ladies are touching my hair and teaching me some words in Shawi while their men translate that I apparently have to stay in the community as they would love to have some children with blonde hair.

I am the first white person in town, so they are curious about my adventures and listen carefully. “You don’t grow plantain and yuca?” “It doesn’t grow in my country.” “But what do you eat?” They are speechless. None of them has ever gone further than their canoe has taken them along the river in one day, so it is hard to imagine a world outside the rainforest. As there is no electricity in the communities they don’t have access to media and they have no idea about other countries. I tell them this is one of the most beautiful places I have been to because it is so raw & rich in land, free of pollution and stress. The communities live a healthy, self - sustainable lifestyle full of warm relationships. This makes me think about my conversation about the street that might be built soon and I truly hope it won’t ever reach these communities to let them peacefully. But maybe that's the price of evolution. Everything changes constantly.

Yet is the simplicity in life that will teach you the most.

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“No matter if you are an engineer or homeless we will serve you food and masato and won’t ever charge for it. This is Shawi culture.”

Shawi definition of carnaval - fermented yuca shower for Chimbe

I smile and wonder how full of light our world would be if everyone thought like that. This statement from one Shawi elder makes me think about my country of origin. While imagining a Shawi family in Germany I am all of a sudden not sure whether my tribe would treat them as I have been treated over here, full of generosity and hospitality. And while looking at the refugee situation in Europe I am not surprised we again and again are invited to learn from our mistakes to become more generous.

Seeing my little Shawi sister smile like this while catching that spark in her eyes makes me aware of the purpose of my journey and I feel grateful that I was at the right place at the right time and more so could share the most precious gift I have in life - time.

While carrying plantain down to river the community leader tells me that when I come back they will find a Shawi man for me. I smile while putting a heavy trunk of plantain on my sweaty back. Sweaty and full of mud, we jump from the boat into the river to refresh ourselves. In total we stop at around 7 communities and the drinks apparently won’t stop but get stronger.

Each of them calls each other uncle or aunt which is more a sign of respecting each other as part of their community. In each community I encounter a peaceful life, in harmony with the environment and each other.

We continue our tranquil drive along the river and I truly enjoy being on the water the whole time. From now this is my 3rd day on the river and I love the movement of the boat, it feels like smooth glide cam shots of lush greeneries and reflections on the water. There is no rush in arriving but a trust in the unfolding of the journey along the river of life. The sun is peaking through the leaves of the trees from time to time radiating on my face. I prepare some fruit and hand them over to my boats men.

We find all sorts of delicious food along the way and once again it makes me aware of how rich and nutritious the land in the Peruvian rainforest is.

A constant reminder of the need to protect this land for the future generations. That is what the Shawi do. Everyday.

Gisbe asks me how many children families have in my country - I tell him depends one or two. “Really?” he says in surprise. “How do they that?” I am not surprised of a question like this from a 35 year-old man in the jungle where families have around 7 children.

Another spectacular sunset guides us home. In the meantime the boat is almost filled up with plantain, corn, zapote and aguaje and upon arrival the kids are running down to the shore to pick us up. We share some fruit from our journey and talk about our journey until falling asleep.

At 5 in the morning in the pouring rain we head out again back to Yurimaguas, the place where I started my adventure. After a warm goodbye to the family that invited me to come back in order to make some traditional pottery and clothes, I jump onto the boat and find a cozy space between the plantain and some piece of plastic, which I pull over my head and muddy feet. It is cold but after three hours we reach Varadero and it feels like coming home seeing my friend Maria again. “You are back.” She gives me a big hug and hands me a coconut.

I say Hi to everyone in the little community and warm myself up a little while the boatsmen eat their Juanes. The rain stops and we jump on the boat again in order to pick up some other people. Now I share my space with two ladies, two dogs and a baby. Everyone is surprised to see a white girl balancing on the side of the rail jumping over amounts of plantain like a little monkey while carrying some more trunks onto the boat. “Like a Peruvian warrior.” One guy said and invites me for a drink at night. “Not sure what your wife would think about it.” I conter with a smile on my face and the other guys of the community are clapping hands.

I share some wonderful conversations with the girls about their lives and my river adventure until the rain picks up again. Hiding under a tiny piece of plastic we sit on the ground, the dogs smell pretty strong and are both lying next to my muddy feet and next to the dogs sits a young mother whose baby is suffering diarrhea. I start smiling. You can travel pretty confortable around South America in fancy busses, but I have always chosen the off the beaten track which brought me closer to locals and their stories. This journey was priceless. I feel I am in the right place in the right moment although this goes on for a couple of more hours in the most uncomfortable position encircled by a fragrance of unwashed dog fur and baby poo. But somehow there is a deep flavor of surrender in the air even through I had never reached my original destiny but life handed me a different adventure. After three more hours the sun peaks out again and we are getting rid of the plastic while heading back towards Yurimaguas.

My skin is pretty tense and my lips hurt. I haven’t had water for three days only fruit, coconuts and masato. My lips are most likely burnt since I haven’t seen my face for a couple of days either. “I like you do the same and travel on your own.” Tells the other lady “But get yourself a dog its such a good company,” she smiles and tells me we are close, thus I get ready to leave the boat.

We all help together organizing the produce and sweat hug each other goodbye as we became really close friends troughout the adventure. I want to give Gisbe money for his family but he tells me he cannot accept it and gives all of it back to me while telling “You were my guest. We are Shawi and share.”Nevertheless I put 20 soles in his bag for his kids, smile and hug him again. He tells me come back there is so much to discover.

I truly hope one day I will.

I pack my backpack, have a last look at Gisbe, Franko and the boat which has been my home for so long and walk away. I feel weird being back on the ground a still feel the movement of the river while walking back to my friends house struggling to summarize my experience with my dirty smelly clothes but the biggest smile on my face. I learnt a lot from the Shawi culture and it was one of the most heartwarming adventures of my journey. It almost felt like a movie or even a dream. A life so simple and content, no need to compare and fight each other, but live and work together.

Mauri, her little brother and a friend in front of the house

I am not sad I never reached my actual destination, because what I found was way more I could have ever imagined. It showed that it is about the mindset you bring along, about what you value, what you want to learn. I always believed that all our journey is about learning and making experiences. This way I headed out 17 months ago. I once again was proven that places like these might seem like they have nothing and some people might say people are poor, but to me they have everything as they live freely and peacefully in a healthy, self sustainable environment within heart warming relationships. This is prosperity.

“ I am grateful for every moment along this river of life and where it has taken me. Including all its twists and turns. May I always remember to give back from the same well of wisdom & generosity that I have encountered in the jungles of Peru."

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Footnotes

#peru #travelphotography #reginaroeder #shawiculture #rainforest #travelperu #discoversouthamerica #solofemaletravel #protecttherainforest #adventure #explore #inspire #experienceperu

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FootNotes

#peru #travelphotography #reginaroeder #shawiculture #rainforest #travelperu #discoversouthamerica #solofemaletravel #protecttherainforest #adventure #explore #inspire #experienceperu

MADE OF CLAY

The River is Life

Stories of indigenous communities in the Peruvian rainforest

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