PLANET A to Z Amazon & Rio Negro Field Guide
AMAZON ADVENTURE 2011
Amazon Region Information
Covering only 2 percent of the Earth, the Amazon Rainforest is home to more than 30 million species of plants and animals. In one square mile, 150,000 species of plants were recorded! Scientists believe there may also be millions of rainforest animal and plant species yet to be discovered. Tropical Rainforests provide more drug yielding plants for medicines than any other ecosystem. Many plants have not yet been investigated regarding their ability to provide life saving medicines, and will never be, if they are destroyed. The mighty Amazon River is approximately 4000 miles long from its source in Peru to the mouth of the Atlantic on the east coast of Brazil. It travels through 7 countries (Peru, Guyana, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Columbia and Brazil). It carries nearly 20% of the world’s freshwater which it discharges into the ocean from a mouth 150 miles wide. This enormous volume of freshwater alters the color and salinity of the ocean for an area of 250 miles long and between 60 to 100 miles wide! It is a captivating & mysterious place that will leave you inspired to help preserve the world’s richest, most productive & complex ecosystem on Earth. The intention of this Amazon Adventure is to help participants understand the importance of this region’s incredible biodiversity. Through on-board lectures and guided tours, you will gain knowledge of the Amazon Rainforest. Our staff is eager to pass along their passion of the Amazon! It will be a lively & colorful exploration of all of the amazing experiences the Amazon offers.
Amazon Climate The climate in the Amazon rainforest is like that of any other typical tropical rainforest. It is hot and humid. The temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit for the entire year which gets compounded due to the heavy humidity. There aren't many seasonal changes in the climate and the temperature too remains the same for pretty much of the year. In fact the difference between the day and night temperatures is greater than the difference between any two seasons. The weather remains the same all year long. As for the rain, the Amazon forest climate is perennially monsoon-like. Due to the large river basin and the tropical heat, the moist air near the ground is heated, causing it to rise. When it reaches the condensation point, it forms rain clouds. This process happens for all the 12 months. This type of rainfall is called convectional rainfall. It rains almost the whole year in the Amazon forest. But two seasons can be defined for the sake of clarity as the rainy season and the not-so-rainy season. In the former, the rains are about 60-180 inches while in the non-rainy seasons, the rains may be between 30-100 inches. The rains start just as suddenly as they stop.
Recent Changes in the Amazon Rainforest Climate The rainfall in the Amazon region is said to be decreasing due to indiscriminate deforestation. In 2005, the Amazon forest suffered its worst drought in over 100 years raising serious environmental issues If deforestation continues at the current rate, given the sensitive nature of Amazon's ecosystem, no forest will be left for the future generations. Each year, large areas of the forest are cut down increasing the carbon dioxide and methane released due to the decaying and burning plants. Amazon rainforest is supposed to represent half the rain forests in the world today, so needless to say, it will be a great loss. And not only a loss of flora, but of the numerous fauna and indigenous people native to Amazonia for so many years will also be gone. Hence all the nations which benefit from the Amazon forest should take the responsibility of preserving the rainforest and taking care of wildlife conservation.
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AMAZON ADVENTURE ITINERARY FEB 7th to FEB 20th Throughout the trip, lectures, general info, films and local folklore will be given to engage you even further in your surroundings. You will have an entire staff of knowledgable people to answer any questions you may have. There will also be many fishing opportunities. This is the general itinerary, but also flexible to allow us to partake in whatever the journey offers us. Please remember we are explorers on an adventure not tourists on a schedule. Get ready for an incredible adventure!
DAY 1 - Feb 7th (Arrival Day) *An early start to board the plane to Manaus, Brazil. •Arrive in Manaus at 4:17pm. After clearing customs and immigration, your trip leaders (Allan, Marco, & Ted) will escort you to your bus and boat transfer to the Eco Park Jungle Lodge. *Arrive at the Lodge late in the afternoon ... Non-Alcoholic welcome drinks at the lobby. *7.30pm Dinner (tables reserved for the group) *After dinner canoe ride around 9.00pm. (Optional, but well worth it!)
DAY 2 - FEB 8th (Eco Park Lodge) *Breakfast AM Activities *Short Jungle trek (with survival skills) on the way to the ORCHIDARIUM (Visit the orchid projects with Professor Agnaldo to understand the importance of the orchids in the Rain Forest). *Short walk on a deforested area on the way to the Primate Rehabilitation Center. (Opportunity to adopt-a-monkey) *Return to the Lodge for lunch and some time for swimming at the natural pools of the Lodge.
PM Activities *Visit the Piratapuia, Baressanos and Dessanas Indians. The trip will be about 50 minutes from the Lodge by river boat and on the way we can see the new reality of the real estate boom in the area of Manaus and how it has been impacting this area. *At the tribal village, we`ll see native rituals and dances of the Indians. *We`ll be joining a reforestry project at the Indian village. *Return to the Lodge around 6.30pm. *Dinner and distribuition of certificates of the reforestry project. *Optional night canoe ride
DAY 3 - FEB 9th (Eco Park Lodge) *Breakfast *8.30am Depart to the Wedding of the Waters (a truly unique experience) passing the Manaus river markets, etc.. * Arrive at the Sao Jose Village. After we see the rubber tapping process we`ll have some time to visit the village, the handcrafts center and the school. * Lunch at the Terra Nova Island. * Visit Pirarucu farm and the giant Amazon water lilies. * Return to Manaus about 6.30pm * Dinner at the Lodge. * Optional evening canoe ride.
DAY 4 - FEB 10th (Eco Park & Manaus) * * * * * * * * *
Breakfast Luggage pick-up from 10.30am. Depart Lodge at 11.30AM via boat and join tour bus for greater Manaus tour. Visit Inpa Campus (Manatees, Caymans, etc), Natural Science Museum Lunch at Toro Loco Visit Mindu Park. Board Dorinha and Tumbira from the Tropical Hotel Floating dock at 5.30pm. Sailing Up the Rio Negro. Dinner on board.
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ITINERARY FEB 11th to FEB 20th
DAY 5 - FEB 11th (Rio Negro) *Morning canoe ride at Pagodao. *Lunch on board. *Afternoon Cruising. *Night exploration in canoes.
DAY 6 - FEB 12th (Rio Negro) *Explore Aturia area.
Tropical fish sampling with Project Piaba researchers.
DAY 7 - FEB 13th (Rio Negro) *Joaperi lower waters (Mouth of the Rio Branco). *Night Canoe Exploration.
Great bird watching and diversified forest.
DAY 8 - FEB 14th (Rio Negro) *Morning. Oropendiau (Mouth of the Rio Branco). *Jungle trek at green water areas *Afternoon. Cauburis (Great Peacock Bass fishing area)
DAY 9 - FEB 15th (Rio Negro) *Morning arrival in Barcelos. Visit town and ornamental fishing operations. *Afternoon at Mouth of the Araca river (Great Peacock Bass fishing area)
DAY 10 - FEB 16th (Rio Negro) *Daraqua.
Piabeiros (ornamental fishermans) Village to see the families and the fishing operations.
DAY 11 - FEB 17th (Rio Negro) Cururu - Piabeiros Village Canoe ride Jungle trek
DAY 12 - FEB 18th (Rio Negro) *Visit town of Novo Airao. *Timber mill and boat building center. *Visit wood craft center (finer quality wood carvings) with opportunity to purchase items of interest. *Swim with Pink River Dolphins. (Meet the Botos!) *Evening sail down the river to Manaus
DAY 13 - FEB 19th (Manaus) *Morning. Manaus walking tour (Market, Opera house, Downtown) *Lunch on board while cruising to the Hotel Tropical Dock. *1.00pm Check In to Hotel Tropical *2.30pm - Depart to the CIGS (Jungle Warfare Instruction Center) and zoo for a special treat. *Return to the Hotel around 5.00 PM. *Farewell Dinner at the Hotel Tropical
DAY1 4 - FEB 20th (Manaus) *Breakfast and final packing. *12.00pm check out time. *2.00pm Bus transfer departs Hotel Tropical to the airport. *Heading home…….
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Guide Biographies Allan Marshall Allan is Vice President of Biological Operations at The Florida Aquarium. He is a Marine Biologist, originally from Australia & has researched aquatic life all over the world. Allan spent a month in the Amazon in 2007. Allan’s life-long passion for all things aquatic is contagious!
Marco Lima Marco will be our local guide. He has researched & worked with several indigenous tribes, and is well versed in their cultures, medicine & folklore. He specializes in Amazon Fishes & Wildlife and has worked for the BBC and National Geographic Magazine. He is very passionate about preserving the Amazon Rainforest & its culture.
Jason Court Jason is a veteran actor with numerous roles in movies & television. Jason has an inquisitive nature of the world around him and has worked with the team on a scientific and educational trip to Antarctica. We believe he is the perfect co-host for Planet A-Z.
Capt. Mo Fortes Mo speaks several languages and is arguably the most famous Amazon guide in the world today. He exuberantly shares information about the natural history and people of this area where he was born and has spent his life. He has over 40 years of experience as captain on the Amazon and its tributaries.
Tom Wagner Tom is the Public Relations Manager for The Florida Aquarium. Tom is the team cinematographer and photographer for our adventure. Tom has lived and worked all over the world‌
Kevin Van Dien Kevin is an Educator at The Florida Aquarium.
Beth Marshall Beth is a Marine Biologist who has worked in the Public Aquarium field for over 20 years. She is an experienced educator and wildlife naturalist and has traveled extensively. She spent a month in the Amazon in 1994 and is eager to see how life has changed there!
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WILDLIFE Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) The world’s largest freshwater otter, Arirai, in Portuguese weigh up to 75lbs and 6-7 feet long. Highly social & gregarious, their loud playful antics do little to disguise their whereabouts from hunters. Formerly common & widespread, they are now endangered as a result of hunting for their pelts & their competition for fishing stocks. They feed on fish & crustaceans. Fishermen are fearful of them because they are very territorial & have been know to attack fishermen in canoes.
Capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) The world’s largest rodent, weighs up to 250lbs and can grow to 5 feet long. Tan to yellow brown, it feeds on grass & leaves and has a squarish muzzle. Easily tamed by natives as pets, the capybara could soon be bred commercially in ranches as food as a sustainable rainforest industry, to the benefit of the ecosystem. They inhabit areas close to water in groups of about 20. They are excellent swimmers, diving underwater if they sense danger. (Can remain submerged for up to 5 minutes!)
Jaguar (Panthera onca) South America’s largest & best known feline. Onca, in Portuguese, are up to 5 1/2 to 8 feet in length & weigh up to 250lbs. It’s the third biggest cat- the tiger & lion are bigger. Jaguars are the only predator big enough to tackle a full grown tapir (related to a horse but only 3-4 feet high) & pouncing hard enough to break the tapir’s spinal cord behind the neck. Jaguar comes from the indian word “yaguar” which means ‘he who kills with one leap’. Natives have many legends & epic tales of battles between jaguars & anacondas. The Aztec’s admired the hunting skills of the jaguar and thus named their best and most fearless soldiers “Jaguar knights.”
Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus) It is small & able to land and run on the ground to approach large mammals. It makes a small incision with its sharp teeth, unnoticed by the sleeping animal and laps up the small trickle of blood. Vampire bats drink about an egg cup of blood each night. The bat has anti-coagulant saliva to prevent clotting. It is common in cattle country. The myths that surround this creature are far larger than the animal itself! These are tiny bats about the size of an adult human’s thumb with a wingspan of only 8 inches!
S American Ring-tailed Coati Mundi (Nasua nasua) It is part of the raccoon family & in fact demonstrates several raccoon like characteristics, having a ringed tapered tail and long low body. It utilizes both the rainforest canopy as well as the forest floor in search of insects & small vertebrates to fruits, nuts & flowers. It is equally at home probing for food with its long snout under leaf litter or among canopy branches. Easily tamed, coatis are often kept as pets.
Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) There are actually species of three-toed sloths – Brown-throated, Maned, Pale-throated and Pygmy. All are slow-moving, traveling at a top speed of .15mph! They appear awkward as they use their front arms and claws to move themselves on land and in trees, but they are quite adept at swimming. They climb down from the trees once a week to go to the bathroom & it takes them almost an hour to get there! They also can have algae, beetles, moths & mites hiding in their hair.
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WILDLIFE Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta caraya) Perhaps one of the most well-known primates in the rainforest, the black howler monkey is easily identified by its size (21/2 – 3ft standing), as well as its incredibly loud vocalization that sounds like wind whipping through a tunnel that can be heard two miles away! They live in the rainforest canopy, traveling in groups of 5 – 20 monkeys that walk from tree to tree seeking flowers, leaves and fruit. One of the biggest threats to their existence is deforestation because each troop requires an average of several acres to survive.
Brazilian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) Even though these are the largest terrestrial mammals in the Amazon, the 500lb tapirs are nocturnal and very cautious animals. These herbivores have poor eyesight but make up for it with an excellent sense of smell and keen hearing. They are also very good swimmers!
Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) This pig-like animal can be found in mid-size groups from the Amazon all the way to the south-western US. They are hunted for their meat as well as hide. They have short, straight tusks that are closely positioned so that each movement of the jaw acts to sharpen the tusks.
Pink River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) Commonly known as Boto, this is the larger of the two species of dolphins in the Amazon. (The Tucuxi is small, gray and can most often be seen in small groups inhabiting larger rivers.) The Boto is more than 300lbs and 7 – 8ft long. It is remarkably agile and can easily navigate the smaller tributaries and flooded forest in part due to its unfused neck vertebrate that allow for a side to side movement.
White-faced Capuchin Monkey (Cebus capucinus) These highly adaptable capuchins prefer to occupy the middle to upper layers of the canopy. Their distinctive markings include black body with white upper chest, forearms and face. Males are larger than females - neither reaches full size until 8 yrs of age. In the wild they may live to approximately 25 yrs, while in captivity it may be extended to beyond 50yrs. They are amazing climbers and leapers, using their prehensile tail for grasping. Woolly Spider Monkey (Brachyteles arachnoides) The Muriqui, woolly spider monkey is listed as Endangered (EN), considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). The woolly spider monkey is the largest primate in the Americas as well as one of the most endangered in the world. With a prehensile (grasping) tail and long fingers that they hook over branches, they swing acrobatically through the forest canopy. Woolly spider monkeys spend most of their time high in the canopy and they drink water that collects in the leaves. They live peacefully together in troops of 5 to 25, generally having an equal number of males and females. When reaching maturity, females leave their birth troop to join another, while males tend to stay with their birth troop.
Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis) A relative of the manatee seen in the US, this “Water Ox” is the Amazon’s largest marine mammal weighing in at more than 1,000lbs and 10ft long! It consumes more than 100lbs of vegetation daily, feeding mostly during the wet season to build up fat stores that carry them through the dry season. It can fast for up to 6 months during the dry season, shutting down all but the most essential body functions to conserve energy. Unfortunately, it is quite rare and endangered due to its large size and sluggish movement making it an easy target for hunters. 7
Amphibians Fer de Lance (Bothrops atrox) One of 23 snakes considered poisonous in the Amazon, however, only five or six are dangerous. It is part of the Pit Viper family and is responsible for most of the accidents, but very few are fatal. It is about 3-7 feet long and found along trails, riverbanks, & cultivated areas.The fer-de-lance's name means 'spearhead' in French. It is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America, and causes more human deaths than any other American reptile. On average, a fer-de-lance injects 105mg of venom in one bite, although a venom yield of up to
Amazon Climbing Salamander (Bolitoglossa altamazonica) Salamanders are surprisingly scarce in the Amazon & represent an exception to the general tendency for high diversity in the tropics.
Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) They are the most famous Amazon snake & the largest snake in the world at up to 33 feet long & 550 pounds in weight. Although, not poisonous, their bite can inflict a serious wound & the victim is quickly engulfed whole. Like all boas, they give birth to live young, with a litter containing 30-80 baby snakes around 28 inches long.
Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobatidae spp.) The best known of the Amazon frogs. They are small & colorful & active only during the day, feeding on termites & small insects. They lay their eggs on land in leaf litter & the male stays with the eggs until they are hatched. He will then carry the tadpoles to water on his back. Indigenous tribes use the secretions from the frog’s skin, which contains venom that causes paralysis & respiratory failure, to tip their darts for hunting.
Giant River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa) About 3 feet long & weighing 165 pounds, this species is farmed for meat, eggs, & shell. Projected meat-yeilds far exceed those of conventional cattle ranching. They continue to be over exploited in the wild & 3 of the 4 Amazonian Podocnemis turtles are considered vulnerable (CITES)
Mata Mata Turtle (Chelus fimbriatus) One of the most bizarre looking turtles. It has a neck longer than its backbone & a snout that is long & tube-like to act as a snorkel. Its carapace (shell) has pointed peaks on the top so it blends in among the floating leaves in wait of its prey. It feeds on fish by opening its wide mouth suddenly to draw fish in like a vacuum cleaner.
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Amphibians Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger) This member of the croc family is the largest predator in the Amazon Basin region. Their average size ranges from 10 – 14 feet, with a few records of 20 feet. They feed mostly on fish, birds, capybara. Jaguars and humans are the only threats to the Black Caiman (it is CITES I listed due to illegal hunting for its hide and meat.)
Common Iguana (Iguana Iguana) Prehistoric looking maybe, but the future may be in its hands. It is also known as the ‘chicken of the forest’ because test show that meat yields from forest raised animals exceeds those from cattle raised on an equivalent parcel of land. No doubt idealistic, the hope is for iguana to replace beef and so eliminate one cause of deforestation. Often found basking on tree branches overlooking the river. Very large in size at around 7 feet, half of which is its tail.
Red Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) The red-eyed tree frog has three eyelids and sticky pads on its toes. Phyllomedusid tree frogs are arboreal animals, meaning they spend a majority of their life in trees, which also makes them great jumpers. Red-eyed tree frogs are not poisonous and rely on camouflage to protect themselves. During the day, they remain motionless, cover their blue sides with their back legs, tuck their bright feet under their belly, and shut their red eyes. Thus, they appear almost completely green, and well hidden among the foliage.
Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus caninus) This species is nocturnal, hunting small mammals, birds & lizards near water. On its upper jaw are heat sensing pits enabling it to hunt warm blooded prey at night. It is also ovoviviparous, like other boas it does not lay eggs but carries them internally until they hatch so the female gives birth to live young.
Bufo Marine Toad (Bufo Marinus) Growing to around 8-12 inches, the Bufo or Cane Toad’s size would seem to make it a meal itself, but it has powerful skin toxins for protection. It preys on birds, reptiles and even small mammals. They also will eat dog or cat food left outside for pets. The Cane Toad is the only Amazonian frog known to be an occasional vegetarian & occasionaly also eat inanimate objects. It has established itself in the US & Australia and is a serious pest. At night, its eyes glow from the banks when you are on night excursions....a little creepy fun!
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Birds Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) & Blue & Gold Macaw (Ara auricollis) Members of this genus include the familiar pet-trade birds such as: blue-and-gold, military, green and scarlet macaws to name a few. (The large and spectacular Hyacinth Macaw is in its own group.) These vividly-colored birds all exhibit similar features such as long tail, long, narrow wings, and a bare patch around the face. Their diet consists mainly of fruit and seeds. They use their incredibly strong beaks to crack hard shells. It is thought that they eat clay to counter-act the poisons found in some of the seeds they eat.
Blue & Gold Macaw (Ara auricollis) Members of this genus include the familiar pet-trade birds such as: blue-and-gold, military, green and scarlet macaws to name a few. (The large and spectacular Hyacinth Macaw is in its own group.) These vividly-colored birds all exhibit similar features such as long tail, long, narrow wings, and a bare patch around the face. Their diet consists mainly of fruit and seeds. They use their incredibly strong beaks to crack hard shells. It is thought that they eat clay to counter-act the poisons found in some of the seeds they eat.
Toucan
(family Ramphastidae with 5 Genuses)
Icons of the Rainforest, toucans have the largest bills, relative to body size, of any bird, in some cases as long as the body itself. The bill is partially hollow, reinforced with internal honeycomb structure, making it very light for its size. Fruits are its main food, but they also prey on small animals and even eggs and nestlings of other birds. They are distant relatives of woodpeckers & also nest in ready made tree holes. Various species include the biggest, White-throated Toucan (Ramphastos Tucanus), Yellow-ridged Toucan (R. culminatus), and the smaller toucans, Chestnut-eared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) & the beautiful Goldencollared Toucanet (Selenidera reinwardtii)
Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoatzin) The hoatzin is a robust, portly bird about the size of a pheasant. They are poor fliers & are limited to short gliding flights. The bird has some very unique characteristics; its diet consists of 60% leaves & it stores its its intake up to four times longer than most birds allowing it to ferment. Fermentation by-products (loud gas) have given the bird its nickname, ‘stinkbird’. Its nest are built over water to allow the nestlings the ability to leap out of the nest when alarmed. There they will swim back to the bushes clambering back through the branches using the claws on their wings, unique among birds of the world. This characteristic is found only on the young & is believed to have evolved on its own & not evidence that the hoatzin is related to the prehistoric fossil bird, Archaeopteryx. However, the bird is still weird enough to be classified in a family of its own, Opisthocomidae.
Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) Part of the Amazon Raptor family, it is the world’s most powerful bird of prey. Adults stand 3-4 feet in height with a wingspan of 6 feet & have huge yellow talons. They are major predators of monkeys & sloths. Perhaps luckily for our furry friends, this majestic eagle is rare.
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Birds Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) They are tall, white long legged birds with featherless heads & prominent bills. They feed on minnows in shallow water by using their bills. They place their bills in the water & when they feel the touch of a fish they snap they bills shut in as little as 25 milliseconds, an incredibly quick reaction time matched by few other vertebrates. An average nesting pair with two fledglings, may eat over 400 pounds of fish during a single breeding season.
Cock o Rock (Rupicola rupicola) The cock-of-the–rock’s diet consists mainly of fruit. Often, these colorful birds do not digest the seeds of their fruity meals. Instead the seeds pass through their digestive tracks and are eventually scattered along the ground, making these birds extremely important seed dispersers. In addition to fruit, cocks-of-the-rock eat insects and small vertebrates. In the Brazilian Amazon, Guianan Cock-of-the Rock nest sites usually have the following 4 elements present:1) closeness to a brook, stream or other watercourse, 2) shade or half-light rather than full sunlight, 3) slits, cracks, fissures or cavities in the rock by which to attach the nest, and 4) the area of the rock to which the nest is attached is dry, bare and without vegetation.
Caciques (Cacicus cela) Their loud & obnoxious behavior make them hard not to notice. They nest communally in riverside shrubs & trees and often along villages, this is thought to keep them safe from predators. Some species choose a tree that also contains an active wasp nest as a deterrent to predators (e.g. toucans), and females compete for the best sites near the protection of the wasp nest. They produce sculptural woven nests of compact globular form and are quite beautiful.
Amazonia Humming Bird, Glittering-throated Emerald (Amazilia fimbriata) Ecologically essential to many trees, shrubs and epiphytes of which they are primary pollinators. Their wings can beat at an impressive 80 beats per second! Their nests are tiny, 1 inch across & woven from down, lichen, moss & even spider’s silk. Snug inside the eggs are the size of peas. There are two groups of hummingbirds: hermits hummingbirds which sneak around looking for isolated flowers and other species that exploit dense clusters. The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards.
Yellow Fronted Parrot (Amazona ocrocephala ocrocephala) Bright green with a yellow front & touches of blue, violet & red in their wings & tail feathers. They are known for their loud voices, which is said to be the loudest of all Amazon Parrots. These parrots can live to the old, ripe age of 60 to 80 years and are about 14-16 inches long.
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FISHES Arawana/Aruana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) A member of the primitive air breathing osteoglottid family. It is known as the “water monkey”. It can leap up to 6 feet out of the water, twice its maximum body length, to snatch invertebrates, birds, bats & reptiles from the overhanging vegetation. They have been found in the tree tops dead because they have leaped out of the water after food & gotten stuck in the branches.
Peacock Bass/Tucunare (Cichla ocellaris) A member of the very important Cichlid family of the tropical freshwater fish species. Over 150 species described in the Amazon alone. Many are important either as food, sport fish, or aquarium trade. The Peacock Bass is of the greatest economic importance & the largest of the neotropical cichlids. They are prized by sport fisherman & also good to eat. They can grow up to 3 feet long & weigh up to 60-70 lbs.
Electric Eel (Electrophorus electricus) They are related to catfish and can grow up to 7 feet long. A large specimen can render a human unconscious with its shock. There have ben a number of fatalities caused by the eel, however these are thought to be caused from drowning rather than electrocution. They are usually found in deep, slow moving waters.
Freshwater Stingray/Arraia (Potamotrygonidae family) Stingrays are possible ‘hangover’ species from an earlier oceanic gulf & are quite common in the Amazon. Their spines are sold in some riverside medicine markets. Their sting is excruciatingly painful & can take months to heal. Please remember to shuffle your feet when you walk in the water.
Arapaima or Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) One of the world’s largest freshwater fish, the arapaima or pirarucu as it’s known in Brazil, can weigh more than 400 lbs and reach a length of 10 feet. These fish are air breathers, though they are able to remain under water for up to 20 minutes. Because it remains near the water’s surface and has a distinctive “coughing” sound as it surfaces to breathe, the arapaima is easily hunted and is considered a threatened species. In 2001, all commercial fishing was banned outside of a few sustainable reserve areas, though it is still illegally caught.
Pirarara or Red Tailed Catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) These fish are considered monsters of the Amazon with massive sizes. It is said that the natives do not eat the meat of the Red Tail because it is black in coloration. The world record is 114lbs.
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FISHES Pacu (Serrasalminae subfamily) includes Tambaqi & Pirapitinga They are both fruit eating Characins. They wait beneath certain trees in the flooded forrest for the fruit to fall. They destroy much of the crop produced by the larger seeded trees because they can crack them open with their large molar type teeth. However, those with small seeds pass through their digestive tracts unharmed. While the survival of much of the fish fauna depends on the forests, the fish in turn are an indispensable part of the forest’s ecology.
Cardinal Tetra or Piaba (Paracheirodon axelrodi) Found mainly in the Rio Negro, these brightly colored Jewel Tetras are among the most sought after aquarium fish. Under lights these tiny specimens glow brilliant primary colors.
Candiru Although some candiru species have been known to grow to a size of 16Â inches in length,These smaller species are known for an alleged tendency to invade and parasitize the human urethra; however, despite ethnological reports dating back to the late 19th century, the first documented case of a candiru parasitizing a human did not occur until 1997.
Piranha (Serrasalminae subfamily) more than 20 species It has been given a bad image by Hollywood. Yes, it can bite but usually when a hook is being removed from its mouth. During dry season they can become very aggressive. There are 25 species in the Amazon with the most famous being the Red-bellied (Pygocentrus nattereri)
Discus (Symphysodon spp.) Their attractive markings make them popular with aquarium hobbyists. Two species are found in the tributaries of the main stream that provide parental care for their young by producing a mucus exuding through the skin on which the young feed.
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INSECTS / SPIDERS Leaf Cutter Ant (Acromyrmex and Atta) They are not herbivores but actual farmers. They harvest the leaves & cut them into neat shapes & carry them back to their cavernous underground nests. They can not eat the leaf pieces because they lack the enzymes to break down plant toxins & the cellulose in the leaf cell walls. Instead, they use leaf pieces for compost for a fungus. The fungus feeds every ant in the colony & are incessantly tended by worker ants. The nests are deep beneath the soil, to where conditions are ideal for fungal growth. Their underground nests can grow to more than 98ft across with smaller, radiating mounds extending out to a radius of 260ft, taking up 320 to 6,500 sq ft. Nests stretch over distances of 165 feet & last up to 20 years or more housing as many as 8 million ants. Winged females and males leave their respective nests en masse and engage in a nuptial flight known as the revoada. Each female mates with multiple males to collect the 300 million sperm she needs to set up a colony. Once on the ground the female loses her wings and searches for a suitable underground lair in which to found her colony. The success rate of these young queens is very low and only 2.5% will go on to establish a long-lived colony. In order to start her own fungus garden, the queen stores bits of the parental fungus garden mycelium in her infrabuccal pocket, which is located within her oral cavity
Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) Is the world’s largest ant, up to 1 1/2 inches long. Its very painful sting is where the name comes from & it is also called the ’24 hour ant’ because that how long the pain of its sting can last.
Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastes hercules) Largest Amazon beetle up to 6 inches long. handicrafts.
You may see the males impressive antler used in
Click Beetles & Fire Flies (Elateridae family) Responsible for spectacular displays along river edges & lowland areas at certain times of the year. The light is generated by a non heat producing enzyme reaction. Each species has its own identification code of short & long flashes, used to attract mates. Iridescent click beetles are also bioluminescent.
Blue Morpho Butterfly (Morpho hecuba) They are the Amazon’s most famed butterfly with iridescent blue wings, found on the males & reaching 7 inches across. However, the underside of their wings are indistinguishable from tree bark when they land & rest. They appear to barely be able to fly under their own impressive size & weight; their looping flight path seems both laborious & strained. They are also bred commercially now & sold as souvenirs.
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INSECTS / SPIDERS Bird Eating Tarantula(Theraphosa blondi) Besides its fangs, another serious weapon in a tarantula’s arsenal is its ability to release hairs (actually hairlike setae) from its body at any creature—including a human—it perceives as a threat.The Goliath bird-eating tarantula makes noise—not with vocal cords like humans—but by rubbing bristles on its legs together! This hissing noise called stridulation is loud enough to be heard up to 15 feet away.Tarantulas don't have teeth for tearing and chewing their meals. They inject juices into their victims. These juices break down soft tissue so that the spider can slurp up its meal. Tarantulas eat insects, frogs, small snakes, lizards, and even rodents and bats. The Goliath bird-eating tarantula has been known to catch young birds. This is very rare but the behavior gave the spider its name. Some people in South America even eat tarantulas—roasted! Females always mate, but eventually eat their mates. Females mature in 3 to 4 years and have an average life span of 15 to 25 years. Males die soon after maturity and have a lifespan of three to six years. Colors range from dark to light brown with faint markings on the legs. Birdeaters have hair on their bodies, abdomens, and legs. The female lays anywhere from 100 to 200 eggs, which hatch into spiderlings within two months.
Scorpion Scorpions are found widely distributed over all continents, except Antarctica. The body of a scorpion is divided into three parts (tagmata): the head (cephalothorax), the abdomen (mesosoma) and the tail (metasoma). They are nocturnal and fossorial, finding shelter during the day in the relative cool of underground holes or undersides of rocks and coming out at night to hunt and feed. Of the 1000+ known species of scorpion, only 25 have venom that is dangerous to humans.
Walking Stick (Pseudophasmatidae) Little is known about stick insects, making it difficult to declare the vulnerability of their status in the wild. The pet trade presents a potential threat, along with the popular practice of framing their carcasses, like butterflies.Stick insects can produce young without mating – some populations consist entirely of mature females and their offspring, all exact replicas of each other. The walking stick has the unusual ability of partial regeneration. If a leg is lost or damaged it will grow back after several successive molts. By molting, or shedding its skin, the walking stick is able to grow to an astounding size in just a few months. Once the skin is shed the walking stick eats its own molt. Walking sticks lay eggs which are dropped to the ground and remain there until they hatch. In the event there are no males in the area a walking stick can lay healthy eggs which hatch and result in females only.
Giant Millipede (Diplopoda) Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment of which there can be as many as 60. The feed on dead vegetation. If threatened, they eject an unpleasant-smelling fluid and roll up, but they are harmless. Lifespan of up to 3 years & up to 13 inches long.
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PLANTS / TREES Bromeliad Sometimes referred to as aerial aquariums because their vase like growth can hold up to 80 pints of water! These epiphytes, can support water ferns, algae, and microscopic plants. They in turn are grazed upon by larvae of aquatic insects & small arboreal frogs who depend on bromeliads for a place to hide, mate & raise tadpoles. About 500 species of aquatic organisms have now been recorded from this special ecosystem. Since they are epiphytes, they do not actually damage the host tree, but the weight of many plants can indirectly cause damage. After a heavy rain, water accumulates in the ‘vases’ of huge bromeliads & the extra strain causes the branches to break & even trees to fall.
Orchid There are about 500 species of Orchids recorded in the amazon Basin. Orchids have a strong association with ants, bees, fungi & their host tree to survive. Ants are known to bring soil up to the orchids, orchid bees (Euglossinae) are known to be attracted to the mimicry of the orchid to smell like a female bee & fungi brings almost all of the necessary nutrients to the tiny seeds. Most orchid seeds are distributed by wind.
Kapok Tree You may remember Lynne Cherry’s wonderful book, The Great Kapok Tree. She initially had trouble finding a publisher for the book, as it was deemed "too controversial". However, she refused to alter the basic message. When the book was released in 1990, coinciding with the twentieth anniversary of Earth Day, Cherry told a reporter, "When kids grow up, in another 20 years, they'll be the people making the decisions. If they're raised with these ideas ingrained in them, it will affect national policy. We will have raised a whole generation of environmentalists." The Great Kapok Tree is set in the Amazon rainforest. A young man begins to chop down a kapok tree, following the orders of a "larger man". After he has hit the tree a few times with his axe, he sits down to rest and falls asleep. While he sleeps, several rainforest animals and a Ya nomamö child whisper into his ear and beg him to spare the tree, explaining its importance in the fragile ecosystem. When the man awakes, he leaves his axe at the foot of the tree and walks away.
Para Rubber Tree When trees reach 5-6 years old, they are harvested. Their trunks are cut just deep enough to tap the vessels without harming the tree's growth, and the sap is collected in small buckets. This process is known as rubber tapping. Older trees produce more latex, but they stop producing it after 26-30 years. The men that harvest the rubber are called tappers.
Victoria Amazonica The mother of all water lilies, its pads can grow up to 6 1/2 feet across! The underside of the pads has large spines to deter manatees & herbivorous fish. The water lilies sordid sex life involves bribery & kidnapping, perhaps justified as ‘crimes of passion‘ as they ensure cross fertilization. White melon sized flowers open in the evening, exuding a strong perfume. Nectar bribes scarab beetles to enter & feed within the flower. During the feast, pollen adheres to their bodies, sticky from the sweet nectar. With the beetles inside the flower closes, kidnapping the beetle overnight. Once pollenated, the flower turns purple & loses its scent. Next morning, the flower opens again & the freed beetle fly to white first-day flowers & continue the process of cross pollination. Both organisms benefit. The beetle has a meal & a secure home for the night & the lily gets pollenated.
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PLANTS / TREES Lobster Claw Flower Quite common & frequented by hummingbirds, there are around 450 different types of Haliconia in the Amazon Rainforest. Of all the Heliconias around, you will probably be most familiar with this one. Heliconia rostrata is one of the most recognized and widely grown species, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is still considered one of the most beautiful. The inflorescence it produces is one of the most colorful you will ever encounter. The mature plant normally starts to flower in the summer. The flowers last a long time and make an excellent cut flower. It is an easy grower in tropical areas but some room is required because the
Passion Fruit The purple passion fruit is native from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It has been stated that the yellow form is of unknown origin, or perhaps native to the Amazon region of Brazil. The passion fruit is a vigorous, climbing vine that clings by tendrils to almost any support. It can grow 15 to 20 ft. per year once established and must have strong support. It is generally short-lived (5 to 7 years)
Acai Fruit On the contrary, Greenpeace International’s website clearly states that “the tasty dark violet wine of açaí is the most important non-wood forest product in terms of money from the river delta of the Amazon.” The Los Angeles Times also reports açaí is a renewable resource that can provide a sustainable livelihood for subsistence harvesters without damaging the Amazon Rainforest. Organic açaí is picked in the wild and helps to preserve the forest and support harvesting families making the forest more profitable standing than cut down. While conventionally grown, monoculture açaí farming is a threat to the rainforest, açaí has been used to successfully reforest already degraded forest lands, which is a positive.
Maiden Veil Fungus This fungus is characterised by a terrible smell (likened to rotting-meat) which has been known to cause groups to change their campsites. It grows to about 8 inches tall. This fungus is not a fly catcher but rather attracts blowflies to crawl through its veil, collecting spores which it spreads through the rainforest. It is also known as the “stinkhorn fungus”
Guarana Fruit Native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean. As a dietary supplement, guarana is an effective energy booster: it contains about twice the caffeine found in coffee beans. Guarana plays an important role in Tupi and Guaraní Brazilian culture. According to a myth attributed to the Sateré-Maué tribe, guarana's domestication originated with a deity killing a beloved village child. In order to console the villagers, a more benevolent god plucked the left eye from the child and planted it in the forest, resulting in the wild variety of guarana. The god then plucked the right eye from the child and planted it in the village, giving rise to domesticated guarana. The Guaranís would make a tea by shelling, washing and drying the seeds, followed by pounding them into a fine powder. The powder is kneaded into a dough and then shaped into cylinders. This product is known as guarana bread or Brazilia coke, which would be grated and then immersed into hot water along with sugar.Brazil which is the third-largest consumer of soft drinks in the world, produces several soft drink brands from guarana extract. The Portuguese word "Guaraná" is widely used in Brazil as a synonym of "soda". Exceeding Brazilian sales of cola drinks, guarana-containing beverages may cause jitters associated with drinking coffee. As guarana is rich in caffeine, it is of interest for its potential effects on cognition. 17
Tribes & Cultures of the Amazon Recent discoveries of rock paintings and remains of settlements in the interior of Brazil suggest that the region may have been populated as long as 50,000 years, possibly by people that arrived by the sea. Before 1492, indigenous peoples numbered about 5-6 million in Brazil alone and were extremely diverse. They had trade networks, some lived in large settlements, some were nomadic, some were able to mobilize large armies, and some were similar to today’s Amazonian hunter gatherers. The five centuries after the arrival of the Europeans in Brazil, were cataclysmic and the indigenous population fell by over 93% during that time frame. Initial friendly open contact rapidly became hostile as the Europeans began to exploit and abuse the locals. They annihilated whole tribes through murder, slavery, and the transmission of diseases, which the locals had no immunity. Some tribes resisted bravely and others became extinct like the Manoa, which Manaus is named after. By the end of the 19th century there were barely 300,000 indigenous people in Brazil. By the 1950’s there were little more than 100,000 indigenous people left in Brazil. The most recent drop in population was caused by exploitation of the mineral & timber wealth of the region in the 20th century. In 1910 the Indian Protection Service (SPI) was founded to protect the indigenous people, although, its ultimate aim was to integrate or assimilate them into national society and divest them of their culture and land...some protection?! The SPI became so corrupt & abused human rights that between 1900 to 1957, 87 tribes disappeared. A criminal investigation found thousands of crimes of mass murder, torture, and theft thus, the SPI was replaced by the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), which still exists. Today there are 215 tribes in Brazil with a population of 350,000 total. The indigenous people are facing the same issues that affect other cultures today. With the invasion of mining operations and logging they have been displaced from their villages. Faced with poverty, many have turned to drinking, drugs and prostitution in some cases. This has fueled the increase in venereal diseases and AIDS among the Yanomami, whose resistance is low to such diseases.
Yanomami Tribe The Yanomami is one of the largest relatively isolated tribes in the Amazon. In the Amazon, the word Yanomami means “human being” and anyone who is not Yanomami are referred to as “nape” or foreign. The Yanomami have learned special skills for surviving, like most Indigenous people. They know which rainforest plants are good for food and medicine. They know which plants are good for building materials. They know which rainforest animals to hunt for food. The Yanomami share the forest with the plants and animals. They treat it with great respect. Life is not easy in the rainforest. A person in the modern world may live for over 70 years. In the rainforest, few people survive more than 40 years.
Dress Men typically wear multicolored bracelets made with the feathers of birds like the toucan, the curassow, the sparrowhawk, and the parrot. The Yanomami believe that the feathers give them special powers and protect them from evil spirits. Yanomami men often perforate their earlobes with pieces of cane decorated with feathers or flowers. They also pierce their nose and lips with thin bamboo sticks. Female ear decorations are more subtle, made with palm shoots, flowers, or a handful of scented leaves. These are placed in cylindrical plant shoots, then positioned into the holes in their ears. The Yanomami live without clothing. A man will bind his foreskin with a cotton string tied around the waist in order to keep his penis upright and against his stomach. Considered more as decoration than as clothing, young women commonly wear cotton guayucos, or loincloths. Men and women both have the same round haircut. Body painting with a variety of dyes is common. For red, they generally use anatto, and for purple, they combine the anatto with a resin called caraña. When men go off to war, they wear black body paint, which symbolizes the night and death. When in mourning, a woman wears black paint on her cheeks for an entire year before she can use red again. For some festivals, the Yanomami apply white clay over the body.
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Way of Life Though many Yanomami are peaceful, many are fierce warriors. Sometimes their warring is to capture women, so that their best warriors can maximize their reproductive success. In general, warring villages are usually several days walk from each other, where as tranquil ones may be less than a day. Villages will usually fissure when the population reaches 100 to 150 people but in times of warfare villages will not split before they reach a population of around 300 individuals. Villages may go to war for a number of reasons and warfare makes up a large part of Yanomami life. About 40% of adult males have killed another person and about 25% of adult males will die from some form of violence. Violence will vary from chest pounding, in which opponents take turns hitting each others on the chest, to club fights, to raids which may involve the killing of individuals and abducting the women, to all out warfare. Today about 95% of the Yanomami live deep within the Amazon forest as compared to the 5% who live along the major rivers. Compared to the "forest people," the "river people" are much more sedentary and subsist by fishing and trading goods such as canoes and hooks with other villages. The Yanomami hunters never say the names of the animals they hunt. they believe that it will make the animals disappear. Instead, they may call the animal they hunt a ‘warrior’. Traditionally, they kill the animals with bows and arrows. The arrows are dipped in poison made from the bark of a rainforest tree. Today, they also use shotguns. Back at the yano, the hunters share the meat with other families. Hunters never eat meat from animals that they have killed themselves. There is no marriage ceremony when they get married. They simply hang their hammocks next to each other in the yano. For the first few years mothers keep their babies with them while they work. Children sleep with their mother in her hammock until they are about five years old or until a new baby is born into the family. The children sleep in hammocks beneath their parents’ hammocks. When a Yanomami dies a yaimo (funeral ceremony) is held and his or her body is burned on a fire. This is a special ceremony and may last for several days. The ceremony begins with singing and dancing. There is plenty to eat and drink. An important part of a yaimo is trading with people from other villages. Traditionally, the Yanomami so not use money. They exchange goods instead. They might trade an axe and some fish hooks, for a new bow and arrow. During the ceremony, the ashes from the cremated body are collected and put into hollowed-out gourds. The shaman mixes the ashes with banana juice. The dead person’s family drink the mixture. They believe that the dead person’s spirit will live on in his or her family. Interesting fact about the Yanomami is that 33% percent of them are left handed in comparison to 9% of the world’s population. 1980's - The Gold Rush The Yanomami had very little contact with the outside world until the 1980's. Since 1987, the Yanomami have seen about 10% of their entire population - over 2,000 people - decimated by massacres and diseases brought by invaders. The Yanomami is the most well known and best documented of the Amazon tribes, partly because they have been victims of a recent gold rush. After gold was discovered on Yanomami land in the mid-1980's, thousands of miners illegally rushed into the territory. The constant flights of supply planes and the noise from generators and pumps used in the mining operation has frightened away the game animals the Indians rely on as a key source of protein in their diet. High pressure hoses are used to wash away river banks, silting the rivers and destroying spawning grounds.
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The influence of the miners goes well beyond physical health. They introduce alcohol outside of ritual which exacerbates existing rivalries and leads to violence. Weakened by illness and unable to produce and hunt enough food, the Yanomami are reduced to begging and most recently trading sex for food. For the Yanomami what was once an intricate social system patterned on trading and bartering goods and food amongst themselves has become a game of deadly high stakes where they are trading their culture for their very existence. The effects are dire. Disoriented by the influx of miners with their unfamiliar culture, technology and diseases, their self-respect has plummeted as their belief and cultural systems are undermined. The Yanomami are not being integrated into Western society; instead begging, prostitution and drunkenness are being introduced into theirs. In 1992, the Yanomami Territory was demarcated and ratified, yet the government has not consistently kept its commitment to protect their land. Supported by politicians and business people, the gold miners assault escalated. In July 1993, a group of miners tried to exterminate the village of Haximu, killing 16 Yanomami, in what Brazilian Attorney General, Aristides Junqueira classified as genocide. Despite international outcry spurred by the massacre, miners continue to enter the territory illegally. According to the Commission for the Creation of the Yanomami Park (CCPY) in Sao Paulo and the Indianist Missionary Council (CIMI) in Brasilia, state and local politicians are fighting to reduce the Yanomami territory because they want access to its rich mineral deposits. There is little question that if this happens, the gold prospectors will be replaced by large scale commercial mining operations that will only compound the devastation of the Yanomami and the rainforest.
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Other Indigenous People of Interest The Barasana Tribe The Barasana refer to themselves as the jeba-baca, or people of the Jaguar (Jeba being their mythical ancestor). Historical records show that the Tukano peoples shifted to the remote headwaters of the Rio Negro as a refuse, in flight from the slave trade, diseases, and forced relocations introduced by the Portuguese in the late 18th century. The Barasana are slash and burn horticulturalists who supplement their food with hunting, gathering and fishing. The Barasana society is rigidly divided along sexual lines. Men and women even enter dwellings by different doors & spend most of their time separated. Although ritual functions are a dying tradition, they still survive as a matter of ideology. The main jobs are Koamona, ritual chiefs, Rasegana, dancers and chanters, Meni Masa, warriors, Daria, shamans and Wabea, cigar lighters. The Dessanas "Sons of the Wind" are how the Desana refer to themselves. They have an extensive expressed idea of Man and the Universe that goes beyond our limited understanding of Indigenous people. They reach a complexity equal to Zen, using an environmental and cultural language of God and the cosmos. They believe that they were created in a sense by the Tucano, God the Father. Interesting notion, honey is considered a ‘male food’& thought to provide great strength.
The Guarani Tribe The Guaraní referred to themselves simply as Abá, meaning "men" or "people. English words can be traced to Guaraní roots, such as "tapioca", "toucan" and "jaguar." In August 2009, a Guaraní-language university, which bears the name of the indigenous hero, Apiaguaiki Tumpa opened. The education minister of Bolivia said that indigenous universities “will open up not only the Western and universal world of knowledge, but the knowledge of our own identity”. The Tupi Tribe The Tupi people inhabited almost all of Brazil's coast when the Portuguese first arrived there. In 1500, their population was estimated at 1 million people, nearly equal to the population of Portugal at the time. They were divided into dozens of tribes, each tribe numbering from 300 to 2,000 people. The Tupi knew agriculture well & grew many crops including peanuts, corn, sweet potatoes, cotton & tobacco to name a few. The Tupi were also at war often, even within the Tupi tribes. In these wars the Tupi normally tried to capture their enemies to later kill them in cannibalistic rituals, instead of just killing them in battle. Cannibalism was part of their ritual after a war. The warriors captured from other Tupi tribes were eaten as they believed they were absorbing their strength. The practice of cannibalism among the Tupi was known in Europe by Hans Staden, a German soldier and mariner who was captured by the Tupi. They carried him to their village where he claimed he was to be devoured at the next festivity. He allegedly won the friendship of a powerful chief, whom he cured of a disease, and his life was spared. Back in Europe, Staden published a book about his experience among the Brazilian Indians, which was published in 1557. From the 16th century onward the Tupi, like other natives from the region, were assimilated, enslaved or simply exterminated by Portuguese settlers and Bandeirante (Colonial Brazil Scouts), nearly leading to their complete annihilation, with the exception of a few isolated communities. The remnants of these tribes are today confined to Indian Reservations or acculturated to some degree into the dominant society.
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The Hupda Tribe (Piritapuia Tribe) The Hupda, known as hunters, know the forest intimately and do not work in agriculture. They are scattered amongst more than 20 clans. Each of the clans shares a common ancestry and a set of rituals specific to each clan. Marriages are made between clans, as a marriage inside a clan is considered to be incestuous. The married man can live, most commonly, in his father's local group or in his father-inlaw's local group. The most important ceremony a clan has is the one that gives its name. It is generally performed by the oldest male in the clan who has a direct familial relationship with the person receiving the name or by the father's father if he is still alive. The ritual is generally called "bi’ìd - hàt" or name of ceremony. This is a naming ritual where the name of an ancestor is changed and is given to a new born child. The name is used in everyday life and there is no secrecy about the "bi’ìd - hàt". Each clan has a set of five to seven proper names for each sex. These names are repeated and are given in the birth order of the ancestors. This is seen as the new born child being swapped for an ancestor. When the swap is made, the child becomes a member of the clan. The first born son will be given his grandfather's name who in turn received it from his grandfather. The subsequent boys can be given the names of any younger brothers the grandfather had, in no particular order. The name, apart from legitimizing an individual as a member of a clan, defines the person's place in the hierarchy. Thus to have the "bi’ìd - hàt" is to belong to a clan. To have the name shows a right to, and a possibility of access to, all the knowledge specific to the clan as well as a set of privileges, be they social, economic or ritual.
The Tukano Tribe Even though they are small in stature, they are vey strong. women after plants. (What would your Tukano name be?)
One of their traditions is that men are always named after birds and
Connecting Culturally Culture – the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.
Think about an average day in your life. Write what you do/experience from waking in the morning through to the moment you are going to bed. Include such things as where you sleep (a twin bed, bunk or futon), what and where you eat your meals, what you do during the day and with whom (school, work, and sports), your mode of transport (walk, bike, bus or car). Do you have any pets? Are you religious? If so, where do you worship? Do you have a big immediate family? Do you live with or spend time with extended family? How do you think your day compares with a day in the life of a native Amazonian your age?
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Amazon Folklore Amazon Folklore is as colorful as the Amazon itself! Folklore is passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years in the Amazon. They are not written down but are told over & over again around the campfire or at feasts. Legends answer questions people ask. How was the world created? Why so animals behave like they do? Why is the environment like it is? Who are our great hunters & leaders? There are many versions of legends about life, death, creation, animals & mysteries. Here are a few of the tales from tribes that we will encounter. You may find that several of these tales are similar to our Native American Indian beliefs or even our own tales from our various cultures. Try to think of what beliefs or tales you may be familiar with that these Amazon tales might bring to mind.
Kayapos Legends There is an interesting legend among the Kayapos who live along a lagoon. They say that if one rises at dawn and looks across the lagoon, one can see the ghost of a white man on horseback galloping along the shore. This ghostly rider is said to wear a full suit of armor, rather like a European knight, or perhaps a Portuguese conqueror. (Is this like our Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow?) The Kayapos believe their ancestors learned how to live communally from social insects such as bees. This is why mothers and children paint each other's bodies with patterns that look like animal or insect markings, including those of bees. (Body paint has been part of many if not all cultures.) The flamboyant Kayapo headdress with feathers radiating outward represents the universe. Its shaft is a symbol for the cotton rope by which the first Kayapo, it is said, descended from the sky. Kayapo fields and villages are built in a circle to reflect the Kayapo belief in a round universe. (What other cultures have used circles?)
Amazon River Dolphin Legends The beautiful & oddly strange Amazon River Dolphin has been revered by the Amazon people for hundreds of years and although it is not hunted, it sure gets itself into trouble in the folklore that is told about it!
In traditional Amazon River Folklore, at night, an Amazon river dolphin becomes a handsome young man who seduces girls, impregnates them, and then returns to the river in the morning to become an Amazon river dolphin again. Other versions go farther and say that the river dolphin is quite clever and always wears a hat to cover his air hole. That is why if a man wears a hat (at night especially) it is common curtesy to tip it when he sees a lady. That way she can tell if he has an air hole or not. This dolphin shapeshifter is called an encantado. Which occasionally a handsome man is referred to as also. There are many tales that it is bad luck to kill an Amazon river dolphin. Legend also states that if a person makes eye contact with an Amazon river dolphin, that person will have nightmares for the rest of his/her life. Local legends also state that the dolphin is the guardian of the Amazonian Manatee, and that, should one wish to find an Amazonian manatee, one must first make peace with the Amazon river dolphin.
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Yanomani Legends The Yanomani, one of the largest tribes in the Amazon have a rich history of folklore & legend, this is a very tiny sampling. Long ago, the Yanomani did not have fire to cook on. They ate raw food. Then, lightening struck the forest and started a fire. Iwariwa, the cayman, swallowed the fire. He kept it inside his body. One day, someone tricked Iwariwa into laughing. He opened his mouth and the fire escaped. That is how the Yanomami discovered fire.
Another Version..... A boy & his sister’s husband went to a cliff where macaws were nesting. They found a pole and the boy climbed up to look in the nest. When the boy looked in the nest he saw birds. Instead of throwing them down to his brother-in-law, he threw a stone. The stone hit the brother-in-laws hand. It made him angry. He knocked away the pole and went home. The boy was left stranded on the cliff. Night fell & no one came. The next day he began to be thirsty. Three days passed. Then the boy heard the roar of the jaguar. The boy called down to the jaguar & offered to throw down a young macaw if the jaguar would rescue him. The boy threw down one macaw and the jaguar ate it. He threw down another & another until the jaguar had eaten all the macaws. Since the jaguar was full he got the pole, set it against the cliff & the boy scrambled down. The jaguar was friendly & took the boy to his own house. At the jaguar’s house there was a fire with meat being cooked over it. The jaguar gave the boy the first cooked meat he had ever eaten. It was delicious. The boy’s own people did not have fire at that time. The boy decided to remain with the jaguar. But the jaguar’s wife did not like the boy. One day, when the jaguar was out, she threatened him. The boy was terrified. He took his bow & arrow and shot the jaguar’s wife. Then he was afraid of what the jaguar would do when he came home. So the boy ran back to his own village. He told his family about the fire and how delicious cooked meat was. They went back to the jaguar’s house & while he slept, the people stole his fire. The jaguar woke up cold & his house was dark. He was very angry. Now the people had fire & he had none. The jaguar roared angrily at the people for stealing his fire. The jaguar said,”If that is how you act, from now on I’m going to eat you!” That is why jaguars are so full of hatred for people & attack them in the forrest. Th Yanomami believe that the universe has four layers. Nothing lives in the top layer. This is where the universe began. The next layer down is a beautiful place in the sky. This is where the spirits of dead people go. Below this is the layer containing Earth. The bottom layer is a terrible place. It is where the spirits of people go if they fall from the sky layer. (Hmmm, sound familiar?) The Yanomami believe that every rainforest man talks to an animal spirit, he acts like Shaman is the only person who can talk to spirit to visit & help the person. Different
animal has a spirit. The most powerful spirit is that of the jaguar. When a shathat animal. He uses animal noises and movements. The Yanomami believe the the spirits. When someone is ill, the shaman calls to the spirits. They ask the spirits have different powers.
You may wonder where the Yanomami came from, well......The moon dwelled in the body of the grand shaman. When he died, she was free to wander in space but instead returned to the earth to eat his incinerated bones. When the shaman’s relatives discovered this outrage, they attacked the moon with arrows but the arrows fell harmlessly to the earth. The moon tried to evade the arrows by hiding in the clouds, but at last one of the arrows penetrated, and her blood spilled to the earth. From the drops of her blood the Yanomami were born. Where the blood was thickest, the men became fierce & killed each other. Where the blood was thin & mixed with water, the men were gentle & thus, lonely. The chief went for a walk to figure out what to do with all these men and he picked a wubu fruit & noticed it had eyes. He threw it down on the ground & it quickly became a woman. The woman followed him back to his village & all the men loved her. She had a baby daughter, then another & another, until finally there were enough woman for all the men.
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PLANET A to Z Amazon & Rio Negro Field Guide
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