Back in the Jungle

Currently updating this blog from the first internet cafe in my trip to have private booths for computers... I´m in the ´G´rated section, but oh so curious...

Given that the waters are lower these days on the route from Pucallpa to Iquitos, causing a 3 day trip to become a 7 day ordeal, I´ve opted for the Gringo-express, sitting in on a flight populated by erratic Southerners (Texans, none the less) and some Peruvian business-men. But before I get to Iquitos, quite a fantastic site, let me re-cap abit about my time in Pucallpa, or rather San Francisco, a native Shibipo community resting by the banks of lake Yarinacocha.

The way to San Francisco...

Most tourists traveling to San Francisco spend about Thirty minutes in the town, long enough to buy áuthentic, original´Shibipo crafts. Pardon the sarcasm, which i tend to have an overwhleming quantity of at times. Most residents of the community depend on such tourism for their daily bread. San Francisco is lucky enough to be easily accesible and close to Pucallpa. Other, more remote communities suffer from extreme poverty and a lack of means. The Shibipo have more or less assimilated to ´modern´ Peruvian society, yet have n means of strayting staying afloat in the market economy. This is actually a syptom of greater Peruvian society. Many people find themselves juggling various jobs or inventing new ones, such as bus-traveling salesmen, or any of a million types of small-time merchants.

The Shibipo culture is traditionally animist, believing in spirits which make up a grand energy. Though many have been converted to Catholicism, and some to the various evangelical churches, most retain some pre-Western beliefs. Some, such as my hosts, remain pure pagans. A central part of their belief system is based on the use of a vine called Ayahuasca. Containing mescaline, the vine is consumed in order to attain a visionary state. Ayahuasca is used for therapeutic purposes, such as weaning off addictions and for purification, as well as attaining judgements and prophecies. The process of making the Ayahuasca is quite arduous, involving the bashing of vines with blunt objects, and then boiling them for hours with another hallucinatory plant, eventually resulting in a thick, bark smelling brown liquid of immense strength.

The Ayahuaca vines cut u, ready to be smashed...

These two immense pots will eventually produce only a liter of prepared Ayahuasca...

The result: the brown liquid is prepared ayahuaca. Next to it are too other elixirs made to help guide and protect those who take part in the ceremony...

Where the ceremonies take place...

My experience with the plant was amazing, and am grateful to the Muiñoz family for taking me in and teaching me about their culture and history. Yes, i was given a message by the plant, but ifyou want to know the details of my session, email me. I´m working on the piece right now.

Ayahuasca-influenced art...

Iquitos: 600,000 strong, Iquitos is the largest city not accesible by road (Apparently the government is working on it) The city has become a central hub for jungle-tourism, overflowing with gringos out for an adventure. Usually a jungle excursion consists of either staying at a lodge or building your our temporary shelter, as well as hunting/fishing your own food and walking around looking for exotic flora/fauna. Pretty interesting stuff, and equally expensive as well. As i´ve already enjoyed my jungle enough in Bolivia and Ecuador, my stay in Iquiots is quite a different experience. Earlier today, i visited a butterfly farm run by an Austrian lady. In addition to the butterflys, she also shelters orphan monkeys, a jaguar, tapir and a manitee. Pedro the Jaguar is 6 years old, weighing in at 80 kilos. He arrived at the park in a small box wrapped in barbed-wire by some hunter who couldn´t find a sale. Unfortunately the story is not uncommon, its good to know that there are places like this farm. Aright, enough talk, on to pics...

Just your average 2 meter (10 feet) long cayman...

p.s.
Funny thing about Ayahuasca, which is by now quite a popular activity in commercialized Iquiots. Though used for centuries by various cultures in this area of South America, the vine has been recently patented by an American business-men. In other words, everyone who imbibes in Ayahuasca officially owes this person money. Gotta love it...