Jungle Queen

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After Riobamba I decided to visit a Shuar community, which was located a couple of hours north from Macas. The Shuar tribe is most commonly known for its past ritual of shrinking heads. Many years ago, they originally did this as a form of revenge if someone in their tribe had been murdered. This involved weeks of spiritual preparation and even annual rituals after the deed had been done in order to prevent the dead spirit from harming the perp or his dead ancestors. They are known as a proud people who have long defended their land and community from being invaded by foreigners. More recently, the Shuar are one of the very few Ecuadorian tribes that refuse to give into the oil mining companies. In fact, I learnt that Macas, where most of the modern day Shuar people live, have long protested - successfully may I add - against these companies from destroying the land with their often environmentally unsafe mining practices.Yes! I stayed in the jungle for 3 days, and basically lived with the family of my guide (whom he had not seen for a year, which was a little strange for me at first!). We went fishing, visited other nearby families (often accompanied by something to eat and much drinking of chicha - a fermented corn beer that, especially in the jungle, is chewed by women, spat in a vat and left to ferment until it became slightly alcoholic - 'jungle beer' as my guide put it!), went on canoe rides down the stream (ah what clear water!), bathed and swam in said stream, sat around the campfire not understanding much (everyone spoke in Shuar), and drank more chicha!It was a very relaxing time and before I knew it the time was up and it was onto the next town!

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Photos

Rather big crack in the ground
Thinking I would go to Macas directly from Riobamba, I was informed that it would not be possible as there had been a landslide. Detoured to Banos only to discover that there had been a landslide there too (tho I think that most of this crack is from when the volcano erupted)! I had to get off the bus, take a truck up a hill, then hike down the steep path with my backpack. Thank God I didn't have to go UP!!! Loads of people did it tho often with more stuff than me, never complaining, and even got resourceful enough to lug cold drinks to the top to sell...!

Drinking chicha before heading out into the jungle
It is a bit of a ritual (especially before the men go hunting) to drink chicha. Or when you have arrived at someone's house, or if you are celebrating, or...! Even kids drink it, it is not very alcoholic and especially in the jungle, it is meant to be good for rehydration

Constant companions
These 2 cuties followed me everywhere, asked endless questions, completely enthralled by every move I made..!

Traditional house in the jungle
We spent the afternoon here, swimming, having lunch and playing volleyball (Ecuador's most commonly played sport - after soccer of course!)

After the trip!
From right to left: my tour guide Germán, another of the guides on the trip, and Germán's French brother-in-law, who has lived in the jungle for 5 years now!