Photo Essay: Visiting An Amazonian Territory Threatened by Oil Development

Our crony Mitch Anderson during Amazon Watch travels to a Achuar territory.

For centuries a Achuar people have lived in harmony with a Amazon rainforest. But now, a harsh expostulate for oil has reached a deepest regions of their territory. Canadian oil association Talisman Energy has already cleared hundred of kilometers of seismic lines in a northern Peruvian Amazon as well as is right away beginning to cavalcade exploratory wells.

This is a print essay from a new outing in to a domain of a fierce, pleasing people fortifying their lands opposite a hazard of oil development.

To find out more about a Achuar as well as their struggle please revisit theAmazon Watch website, as well as keep updated about brand new events as well as how you can help onFacebook,Twitter, as well as bysigning up to Amazon Watchs email list.

All photos Mitch Anderson.

Achuar Apu1.An Achuar Apu (chief) in a encampment of Kuyuntsa upon a Manchari river. The Apus of more than 40 Achuar communities traveled for days by foot as well as upon stream to participate in a encampment assembly to plead a future of their people. The red face paint is from a seed of a Achiote tree. Each Achuar male uses a unique collection of designs that vary for a day outlayed in a meeting, or a day outlayed hunting, or in days left by, for war.

Patarashca from a Kandoshi woman2.A gift of Patarashca (freshly caught fish wrapped in banana leaves) offering by a Kandoshi lady after you stopped upon a banks of a stream to give her son a float to a nearest village. The Kandoshi live downriver from a Achuar upon a Huitoyaco as well as Pastaza Rivers.

Collecting H2O during dawn3.A lady collects fresh H2O during emergence in a Kandoshi encampment of Pifayal where you outlayed a night upon a way to a Achuar assembly in Kuyuntsa. We were greeted by a complete encampment as well as enjoyed a hearty dish of huangana (wild boar) as well as patarashca. In a early sunrise you over for Kuyuntsa.

Preparing duck for dinner4.An Achuar lady prepares a duck for dinner in a encampment of Limon Cocha, a initial Achuar encampment upon a Huitoyaco River.

Arriving in Kuyuntsa village5.The Achuar assembly was held in Kuyuntsa upon a Manchari River. The stream was so low you had to travel there for several hours from a Huitoyaco.

An Achuar house6.A huge Achuar residence in Kuyuntsa village. Here, a father will live together with his daughters as well as their families underneath one roof. Only a most respected elder Achuar men can count upon a support of a encampment needed to weave thousands of palm fronds in to a roof tiles tiles of this size.

Drinking wayusa7.Before dawn, a day of a meeting. The Achuar rise to splash wayusa, sell stories as well as plead plans for a day before purging their bodies of aches as well as pains from a previous days work by vomiting. Wayusa is a honeyed tea done from infusing a leaves of a Wayusa plant grown in! Achuar gardens.

Steep stairs to a river8.A fraudulent walk down a slippery stream bank in a sunrise to bathe. Here a boy earnings from a fishing trip.

Carrying firewood9.Carrying kindling to prepare lunch for a community. Achuar Apus (chiefs) have traveled from all over Achuar domain to attend a assembly as well as they will need to be well fed.

Serving masato10.Any Achuar assembly is preceded by celebration vast quantities of masato served by all a women of a village.

An suggest of masato11.Masato is done by boiling as well as mashing manioc, then chewing as well as spitting a thick pulp to inspire fermentation. The result is watered down to emanate a diseased manioc beer that any caller is expected to drink.

Map of a oil block12.The Achuar were assembly to decide how to reply to a governments creation of an oil concession over their genealogical domain (Lote 64) as well as exploratory drilling in ancient sport drift by Canadian oil association Talisman Energy.

Interview13.An Achuar fight dance ceremony: The Achuar inaugurate a assembly with a normal fight dance as we! ll as in terview, where a visitors verbalise with a hosts in a ritualized, rythmic debate justifying their reasons for coming.

Achuar fight dance14.The fight dance is a ritualized dance as well as fight from times left by when a Achuar lived in consistent warfare. Today a Achuar have been united as well as peaceful, though they complain that a oil association Talisman is inspiring division as well as assault amongst a Achuar.

The route home15.The route behind to a Huitoyaco River, a initial leg upon a three-day outing behind to Lima, by boat, highway as well as plane. The Achuar live in a remote rainforest in Northern Peru near a limit with Ecuador. Their villages have been continuous by an incredibly elaborate network of jungle trails.

River during sunset16.Departing Achuar terriitory, a pacific sunset upon a Huitoyaco river.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Check out this video, constructed by Amazon Watch, that parodies Chevrons oil antics in a Amazon.

For more photos from a Amazon, check out a Epicocity Project upon their new kayaking outing down a Rio Roosevelt.


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