Curaca - Amazon Chief

Here I am dressed as a Curaca - Amazon Chief - in the depths of the Peruvian Amazon.  The traditional clothing is made of palm fibre, which is extremely comfortable and ideal for the heat.
We have - or rather had - a wonderful traditional hut, or cocamera, in the depths of the Peruvian jungle, in the upper reaches of the Amazon.   and this is the hut, the first of many that we intend to build if there is a demand.

This little village is just a 15 minute walk from the main camp 

The problem is that the camp, cared for by the locals, has been destroyed by termites and  needs to be reconstructed.  And for that we need volunteers, 10 of them, who would stay in the local village.  It will take about a week or ten days to complete our tourist village, and then they'll have a wonderful holiday.  This - below - is the Casa Grande - big House - which needs to be rebuilt.

There were also other cabins in reasonably close but secluded proximity to the Casa Grande.

 The idea is for people to stay in the main lodge, which has running water, flush toilets and showers, but to have the opportunity of living the way Chief Michael - that's me - lives when  in residence. There are jungle walks that can be done with bare feet, and more traditional houses will built.  The cocamera was  built off the main trail leading from the lodge complex, thus giving it complete authenticity.  

Visitors, therefore,will be able to live like the Amazon natives and experience life as it has been lived for thousands of years. Or if this is a little too much,  stay at the main camp at our Amazon lodge and just visit people - like me -who are living the traditional lifestyle.  My hut is just a 15 minute walk from the main camp, and I look forward to living the natural life with a group of others.

 All the huts will be like the Chief's: two doors which when shut make the hut completely dark inside with either a hammock or a ledge to sleep on. For sheets you will use tree bark and you will rise at dawn and go to bed when it gets dark, as there is no electricity.

This is me with a local lady, Maria, and her son.

The toilet is natural and I wash in the river or stream, the same as  in the shower at home.  I use natural soap and shampoo and  have a wardrobe of grass skirts.  Here is my canoe to use for checking the fishing nets every morning.

Below are views of the inside of the cocamera:

There is a choice of either a ledge or a Hammock to sleep on.

Below is the path back to the main camp.

How would you like a  banana?

I said I had a wardrobe of traditional clothing and here it is:

Complete with staff!

This is very practical as it's short, so I use it for working in.  I am displaying various artisanía or craft work at home.  No, I don't normally dress like this when I'm not in the jungle, but I should be only too happy to put on a display if required, and give a taster.

Everything I was wearing previously was for the Yagua tribe, but this skirt made of tree bark is from the Bora tribe: also short and practical, and here is another.

And here I am fully painted up.  It takes days for it to wash off completely, but when I'm there I am expected to immerse myself in the lifestyle so visitors can see what it's like.  To be honest, people prefer to look at me rather than join me, but the huts will be there for those visitors who would like to try the lifestyle for a day or two.

I really love it in the jungle and can't wait to get the working party together so we can go and help the people there to reconstruct the camp and help them get their livelihood back.  And they really love it too when I adopt the traditional lifestyle.

If you are interested in helping with this reconstruction and/or taking an Amazon holiday please contact us:

+44 ) 2380 366 114

info@peru-experience.com

Please pass this on so we can get the camp reconstructed as soon as possible.