Join the $2,500 by July 25th campaign!
Life Disrupted and The Return to Normal
Testimonials
The soil is very red here
Rob Williams:India 2009
Eduardo Sciammarella: India 2009
Ponzi Parillo: India 2009
Lisa Field-Elliot:Vatsalya Women’s Clinic
Amanda Koster: Samvedna Mobile Clinic
Maggie Soladay: India 2009
photo by: Kate Fisher, Huaorani man and woman
The Huaorani of the Ecuadorian Amazon once numbered in the tens of thousands and possessed a much more extensive territory than they do today. Today they number only around 2,000, and their territory continues to face the threat of oil development and colonization. Huaorani lands situated in the northern provinces of the Oriente were severely affected early on, and today six oil concession blocks overlap Huaorani territory. For the Huaorani, the history of the last three decades has been one of encroachment on their land by oil companies and usurpers, both Mestizo colonists and other indigenous groups alike. Contamination and loss of hunting grounds have caused the Huaorani to flee from advancing “civilization,” while they simultaneously fight a rearguard battle to preserve some vestige of their autonomy.
When Texaco came to this region, it was granted a territory of about 1.5 million acres of pure forest; there were several indigenous communities living there at that time. Today, dozens of communities continue suffering the consequences of pollution which has affected their health, substantially raising the rates of cancer, reproductive problems and birth defects. Several indigenous communities in the area have even had to abandon their traditional homes. Texaco contaminated a wide area of the country, spilling toxic waste and polluted water (waste water from oil extraction process) in estuaries and rivers. Texaco also built permeable and obsolete swimming pools, which still contaminate ground waters and the atmosphere. During the time that Texaco operated in Ecuador, the multinational decided (to maximize its profits) to ignore the environmental technical standards of the time. Texaco re-injected the toxic waste generated underground and threw away billions of gallons of contaminated water on the surface.
An ongoing problem for the Huaorani has been the lack of cultural preparedness for dealing with the oil threat. Spears, clubs, and the courage of a hunter are not adequate to face the modern corporate incursion onto Huaorani territory.
The Huaorani organization ONHAE (Organization of the Huaorani Nation of the Ecuadorian Amazon) was formed relatively late in the history of resistance to oil development, and it has taken time for its activists to learn to effectively withstand the maneuvers of what they simply call “the Company.” ONHAE works to unite Huaorani communities, and conducts pressure campaigns against the government, criticizing them severely for negotiating with the oil companies without the involvement of the Huaorani. The organization demands that the oil companies clean up areas that they have polluted, and calls for assistance in education, development, and health care projects.
The ongoing assault of the world’s oil companies outmatches the Huaoranis’ fierceness. They will continue to struggle for their survival, but in order to preserve their homelands and traditions they must, paradoxically, adopt modern ways just to be able to preserve some part of their territory and culture.
photo by: Kate Fisher, Huaorani kids
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO
DAY 2: WELCOME BRIEFING AND QUITO CITY TOUR
DAY 3: FROM THE HIGHLANDS TO THE INCREDIBLE HUAORANI TERRITORY
DAY 4: THE AMAZING WILDLIFE OF THE RAINFOREST
DAY 5 -7: WORK PROJECT WITH THE HUAORANI COMMUNITY
DAY 8 and 9: FROM BAMENO TO NEONENO COMMUNITY TO COCA
DAY 10: OTAVALO – QUITO
DAY 11: QUITO – HOME FLIGHT
bio | contact
COST: $3400 | payment instructions | Due: June 1, 2012
DEPOSIT: $500 | Due: 11/1/2011 | pay your deposit | Due: March 1, 2012
INCLUDES: all in country transportation (including domestic flights, buses, private vans and taxis), all meals where listed in itinerary, all accommodations, all activities listed in the itinerary, all local guides and translators.
DOES NOT INCLUDE: international flights, int. departure tax, some meals not included in itinerary (to be posted soon) and personal items such as internet, laundry and phone calls.
50% of our travelers have successfully raised funds! Find out how…
QUESTIONS?: travel@salaamgarage.com
photo by: Kate Fisher, Huaorani face paint
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO
Arrival to Quito. You will be met at the airport by your SG guide and transferred to your hotel in the center of Quito. Welcome and overnight at Café Cultura Hotel
DAY 2: WELCOME BRIEFING AND QUITO CITY TOUR
After breakfast we will meet for welcome ceremony by Huaorani community members and briefing about the project. Typical Ecuadorian lunch to be served.
In the afternoon we will visit the colonial site of Quito where you will walk through the Main Plaza. Visit the Government Palace, the Cathedral and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries. Later we will climb the high hills to Bellavista to visit the Guayasamín Gallery. Guayasamín rose from poverty to become Ecuador’s best known painter and sculpture. Throughout his life, he championed the rights of Ecuador’s indigenous peoples and criticized social inequities and oppression in his homeland and around the world. His father was indigenous and his mother was mixed Spanish blood.
DAY 3: FROM THE HIGHLANDS TO THE INCREDIBLE HUAORANI TERRITORY
Transfer to the domestic airport for flight to Coca. We will fly for approximately 35 minutes, over the Eastern Andes Mountain Range, crossing the equator and looking into snow capped volcanoes over 5,790 meters above sea level (18,991 feet) to reach the headwaters of the Amazon Basin near the Napo River.
Arrive to Coca, one of the most prosperous frontier towns in the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Here our Huaorani guide will be waiting for us to travel along the Auca road (built by the oil companies), here we will see the contrast between the oil companies and the pristine way of life of the Huaoranies. After a two hours drive we will reach the Shiripuno river, where our adventure begins. Here we will board a motorized dugout canoe and float down the river to our camp on the banks in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. We can enjoy the river by swimming, fishing for piranha, cat fish and many other species., Dinner and overnight at our campsite. (B,L.D)
photo by: Geoff Gallice, Pambil palm
DAY 4: THE AMAZING WILDLIFE OF THE RAINFOREST
Early in the morning we will have our first meeting with the Huaorani of the Amazon. We will visit the community of Neoneno, where we will partake in a welcome ceremony and spend some time learning about their daily life and activities. After this visit we will continue our trip to Bameno located 5 hours up river. Along the way we will have chance to spot wild life like macaws, parrots, monkeys and if we are lucky tapir, capybaras and giant river otters. In the afternoon we will prepare our campsite, Dinner and overnight. (B.L.D)
DAY 5 -7: WORK PROJECT WITH THE HUAORANI COMMUNITY
Over the next 3 days, we will divide up to work on individual stories. You will also have the opportunity learn how to plant, harvest, make handicrafts, prepare meals and discover the world of Amazon medicinal plants with native shaman. In addition, our hosts will show us how to use spears and blowguns. Dinner and overnight. (B.L.D)
DAY 8 and 9: FROM BAMENO TO NEONENO COMMUNITY TO COCA
After breakfast we start our journey back to Neoneno. Traveling by dugout canoe along the Shiripuno river. Lunch will be taken on the banks of the river. Dinner and overnight at our campsite of Neoneno. (B.L.D)
DAY 10: OTAVALO – QUITO
After breakfast we will travel to the north of Quito to Otavalo. On route you can enjoy of the exotic fruits of Guayllabamba valley like the delicious chirimoyas and tangerines, also you can visit Cayambe a small valley where you can taste bizcochos and cheese. The Otavalo market or the Ponchos market is considered the most important indigenous market of South America; here you can find different and colorful handicrafts like rugs, tapestries, clothes jewelry, etc. An incredible lunch awaits us at Hacienda Pinsaquí . In the afternoon we will have time to visit Cuicocha Lake in Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve on the route you will stop in Cotacachi town known for its famous leather handicrafts. Then you continue to Cuicocha, this lake lies inside the crater of an active volcano surrounded by flora and fauna. This place is considered as a sacred lake and in a certain season of the year the native people celebrate traditional rituals to purify and clean their souls. Late in the afternoon return to Quito to overnight. (B.L.)
DAY 11: QUITO – HOME FLIGHT
Flight home. (B)
Recommend on Facebook Tweet about itThis entry was posted on Sunday, June 19th, 2011 at 3:49 pm. It is filed under Ecuador, Upcoming Trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
UX and site tweakery by Charlene Jaszewski
Modularity theme by Graph Paper Press
All content © 2012 by SalaamGarage
Email us! Become my Facebook friend See SalaamGarage photos RSS Tweet with me Watch my videos Subscribe to my YouTube Channel