Our canoe ride to visit the Waorani started off eventful. Within the first two minutes of the trip, our propeller on the boat came loose and we came to a stop in the middle of the river. The two men driving the canoe spent fifteen minutes trying to reattach it with wire. Thankfully, they managed to fix it, but our problems were still not over. Because the river was so shallow in most places, our canoe kept getting stuck in the sand and rocks. Thankfully Lucas, Matt, and Ben got out with the drivers to push us while Maddie and I stayed in the boat. Eventually, we were finally on our way with no more setbacks, even though we were twenty minutes behind everyone else.
We passed time in the canoe by listening to music, playing imposter, and a tense retro bowl tournament. When we finally arrived at the lodge six hours into the amazon, we ate dinner and immediately went to bed. I seriously do not remember the last time I fell asleep at nine o’clock.
The next morning, we woke up early and got ready for our busy day with the Waorani. We started by meeting several of the Waorani community members and learning about themselves. After, they showed us to a spot with ginormous trees and we were able to swing on the huge vines hanging from above. While we were there, some of the mens mother told us stories about the trees, and how they used to cut them down in order to crops like plantains at the bottom of the chopped trees. Listening to her speak about the forest and different traditions made me appreciate how deeply connected they are with the environment.
After these stories, we were able to go fishing. Our boat was definitely not the most successful group, we only caught two fish out of what was probably fifty total, but it was worth it because we saw monkeys swinging through trees on the way. We went back to the lodge for lunch and had a little time to rest before heading back to spend more time with the Waorani community.
Once we arrived back, we participated in a special naming ceremony. My name translated to “parrot” which represents a person who loves and organizes parties and brings people together. I would say they got my name pretty right. After the ceremony, we spent the afternoon playing soccer together in the mud. The teams were mixed between our group and members of the Waorani community. I definitely wasn’t the best player on the team, but I enjoyed sliding in the mud and playing intensely. Later, we headed down the the river for a much needed swim. We played tag in the water while some of the boys and Waorani men played chicken. It was raining at the time, but the rain and river made the experience even better. We returned to the lodge for dinner, where we had soup, salad, and even got to try some of the fish we caught earlier in the day.
After dinner, we made one final trip back to the Waorani home to spend the evening together. They first performed traditional dances for us before it became our turn to teach them some of ours. We sang songs like Party in the USA and Sweet Caroline and also attempting to teach them how to frat flick. Before leaving, we were also able to purchase handwoven items made by the mother in the community, which made the experience feel even more meaningful knowing they were handmade by the people we had spent the day with. By the time we got back to the lodge that night, I was completely exhausted and fell asleep almost immediately.
The next morning, we woke up, ate breakfast, and got back into the canoes for the long ride back to Iyarina. Somehow, the nearly seven-hour trip back felt much shorter than the ride there. We spent the ride napping, listening to music, and playing a few more games of Imposter and Retro Bowl while taking in the views of the Amazon one last time.
Looking back on the experience, visiting the Waorani community was easily one of the most meaningful parts of this trip so far. Being welcomed into their community, learning about their traditions, hearing their stories, and spending time with them gave me a completely different perspective on life in the Amazon. Even though our lifestyles are so different, everyone was incredibly welcoming, kind, and eager to share their culture with us. It was an experience I know I will remember long after this trip is over.