THE HUMAN INHABITANTS

In the Amazon area you will find many different kinds of Indian tribes. They already live for years in peace and harmony with nature and the Amazon river. Western influences have chanced the lifestyle from many of these tribes, mostly not for the good. When the western people came they disturbed there way of life by cutting away big peaces of rainforest for laying out plantations. After that the rubber tappers (or serinqueiros) and the gold prospectors (or garimpeiros) get their " share". Every time the Amazon Indians and their environment where the victims. The Indians where convicted to slavery or they where killed. Many of them also died of "white" diseases like influenza, smallpox and malaria.

Yaqua woman
some Yaqua woman

According to books there are about 380 different kinds of indigenous tribes but, at this moment, they still discover new ones. Famous tribes are, by example, the "Yanomami", the "Ashaninka" and the "Arara". Near Leticia you will find the "Tikuna" Indians and the "Yaqua" Indians. A visit to these friendly and hospitable population is absolutely a must!!

Most Indian tribes exist out of a few families who all live together in a village. The traditional place to live in a village is called "the maloca". This is a big "house" which lays in the center of the village and is beautifully made of palm leaves and other tropical leaves. In the maloca also lives the "shaman". The shaman is like a medicine man. Around the maloca are smaller "houses" where the rest of the tribe lives. They are all sleeping in hamaca's, a traditional hamoc.

We give you the opportunity to bring a visit to a shaman. You can learn a lot of him. There is also a possibility to experience one of the rites: Drinking the Javasca (ayahuasca).