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The artisan group in Chipaota has recently decided on using the name Allima Waska which means “good vine” in Quechua. Above is the drawing of the group’s logo. This logo was on all the baskets sent to Lima for the participation in the artisan’s first bio feria or ecological fair.
The construction of the artisan studio is going well. The thatched roof is almost complete and since last month we have decided to make the first floor of the artisan studio a place for the RP technical team and volunteers to stay in the community! Currently visitors stay in the town of Chazuta, a 20 min boat ride from Chipaota. This will make it much easier for both groups to complete their work and will allow them to spend more time in the community on the beautiful Huallaga River.
Wednesday, 8/4 in Lucias house in Tarapoto. Crazy days continue.
I had meetings in Lima on Sunday and I taught a new friend how to make Indian curry. I also got a chance to visit the wonderful Jane in her magical cloudforest bioreserve and spend a night there. Today, I am in Tarapoto. Tomorrow we leave early in the morning from Tarapoto to go to Charts. I am already preparing for my cold, morning shower. My fault, of course, because I wanted to stay in the very beautiful bunglow out of town with cold water and no internet, rather than a place in town (why be in a frontier rainforest town if you can’t get a little sense of the forest!). Next two days will be in Chazuta and Chipaota. I have had long meetings, long days, no break but sitting here in Lucia’s house, I am happy.
Despite the craziness, I slept in the canopy of a wonderfully large tree 200, 300 or 550 years old according to some experts. That was amazing. Not many people get to sleep in the canopy of a rainforest towering tree, not even indigenous people. It was truly a treat! I saw more birds than I can count and I have some pictures. 100s of parrots, parakeets and macaws, and honey creepers and wood creepers and pigeons and tanagers and more names than I can remember. And, even red howler monkeys in the distance, several curled up two each to keep warm, high up on barren branches. The sunrise was beautiful as was the moonrise. This is what we are trying to save and protect, these magical, amazing places!
After visiting the tree again on a clear night, before the moon had risen, Willifreddy very gently took us down the lake (I talked him and Claire into going there again). Since it was late, he took a short cut through the reeds. But the best part was being in that canoe in such a beautiful dark, clear night. The stars and the sky reflecting perfectly onto the water and the bright stars coming along with us as we gently went down the lake. I don’t think I have ever seen such a sight. Bill told me the names of the stars that I was seeing in the equatorial sky and they all have lovely names but I can’t remember them.
I met this wonderful 88-year-old English woman named Doris who at 45 learnt to do bharat natyam dancing. She is quite an amazing woman, as was most of the group who had come to be at the wedding of Mary, an Englishwoman, and Patricio, the former president of Sani Isla. They have a beautiful, circular house made in kichwa tradition. She and Patricio are helping with our project which is great.
Things are good. Everything here has been fruitful as it always is. Lucia’s house is terrific. The house overlooks the mountains and has a nice garden and is very close to my bunglow which is accessed by small rickshaws on very bumpy dirt road. It is very calm there with birds singing all day long and froggies at night, I love that!
