After fishing, we all enjoyed a tasty lunch with spaghetti and pork. I sat there and thought about the unique experience I just had with the Woarani. Soon, it was time to go to where the Woarani actually lived and learn how to throw a spear, shoot a blow gun, get our faces painted, and then play fútbol. 

We loaded back onto the boat, and then went about a quarter mile down stream to the Waorani community. My first impression was that it was small but homely, as I saw children playing, dogs running around, and pet parrots chilling in the trees. They even had a good size soccer field which I knew we would play on after our activities.  

After taking some pictures the beautiful parrots, we started by shooting the blow gun.  It consisted of giant pieces of wood which where hollowed out and then wrapped together with palm leaves, leaving just enough room for a poison meat skewer looking thing with a cotton ball on it to fly in-between with some serious speed. They told as that they hunt monkeys and other mammals with the blow gun.  Then, we all took turns shooting it at a banana tree target. This provided it us with some extra team bonding as we all shared the same gun, with the same mouthpiece. 

Next, it was time to throw the spear.  First, the Woarani went and sent the spear flying through the target.  We all took turn turns throwing the spear next, and some of us actually stuck it in the target while others but quite make it there. 

After throwing the spears, we got our faces painted like theirs and then lined up to pick teams for soccer. There were about 20 people playing and it bonded us with the Woarani in a way that we haven’t before.  We laughed and smiled as we played and my team won the first game.  Afterwards, we did Pitt versus the Woarani and we got smoked 3-0. Skip played the same role on the pitch as did during the trip, leading us through the ups and downs in a leadership position. Soccer, a universal language, allowed us to communicate with the Woarani in a fun and new way. After almost passing out from the humidity and heat, we jumped in the river and cooled off. 

After the competitive play, the Woarani dropped us back off at the lodge where we relaxed for a little and then had dinner.  We didn’t have catfish for dinner, but the cooks remembered that I went fishing and caught some, so they gave me a personal dish. The fish was great, but we were all ready to go back to the tribe and watch their ceremonial welcome dance. 

We arrived to the tribe’s hut and all sit in a horseshoe around them.  They start the dance and we immediately notice the very little clothing that that the Woarani men had on.  They sang and walked in a circle while playing an instrument.  The women then came in and did the same.  They harmonized together and then the men circled the women while they danced.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  It was almost straight out of a movie, and I loved every second.  For the Woarani to open up their arms to us and show us a part of their culture that is so important to them was unforgettable. 

Next, it was our turn.  We all stood up and sang “I want it that way”, “You belong with me”, and “Sweet Caroline”, but the Pitt version.  They loved our singing and we all enjoyed a wholesome moment.  Then they brought out a bluetooth speaker which was a little humorous and played some Spanish music.  We danced with them and with each other. Skip taught us some moves he used back in the day, and they definitely still work today. We danced for about 25 minutes until our feet hurt and then headed back. 

Nobody has ever seen so many starts before, so we enjoyed gazing at them on the way back to the lodge.  This was my favourite day on the trip, and an experience I hope my kids can have one day because of how unique and eye opening it was. With all that we did today, I had no trouble falling asleep after we debriefed the day before bed.