Peru: The Shipibos

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The largest tribe of indigenous people in the Peruvian Basin is the Shipibo tribe. I tried to find out online how big a population they are, but there doesn’t seem to be any concrete data. One source says over 20,000 while another says approximately 35,000. But there’s no question that, although the Shipibo people are having to live with one foot in the modern world, their traditions and beliefs date back thousands of years.

The Shipibo live in more than 150 jungle villages scattered up and down the Ucayali River, the majority of those communities only accessible by journeying for days on a boat. However, after decades of deforestation in the Amazon jungle, and after years of climactic pendulum swings from drought to flooding, many of them can no longer rely on the land to survive and they’ve moved closer to the city of Pucallpa to benefit from more commerce and modern education. But they still hold strongly to their roots.

Their culture is grounded in their spiritual and physical relationship with the rainforest. They find health, healing and happiness from the plants in the jungle, and they rely on shamans who go into whacky-plant-induced trances in order to communicate with the spirit world for relief from all their ailments. These shamans sing songs that are calls to different spirits… and then the Shipibas (the women of the villages) interpret those songs into vivid patterns they put onto fabric, pottery or jewelry. And get this: these women can look at the patterns they’ve painted or embroidered and sing the song back to you!! It’s a whole different world… and one I feel a little uncomfortable in from a spiritual perspective!!

One of the highlights of our trip was being able to visit one of these villages. Tom drove us all to the SAM Air base on the edge of the jungle just outside the city and, in groups of 5, we took turns to pile into a seaplane and fly northeast to a village whose name escapes me!! What an experience. Gosh.

Peet and I were in the final group to fly. To kill time, Miguel (one of our translators and part of the Casa Shea family) led us on a walk to meet an American missionary lady called Angie. As much as Angie was wonderful (and she was!!), the hike was more about her pet monkeys. Yep – we’re that shallow!! (#tourists)

I’ve included way too many monkey photos in this post… but I don’t care. We had so much fun with them. And the leaf cutter ants… wow!! They had done so much back-and-forthing with their giantly disproportionate leaves on their backs, they had actually worn a pretty significant path in the grass!! Incredible creatures. Very focused on their task. Which was good because I was nervous about getting close enough to them to get a decent photo!!

The village was wonderful. They’re clearly used to having Americans visit them, and they were so welcoming and friendly. The kids (and there were a lot of them) seemed to find massive enjoyment in the smallest of things… which was so incredible to watch. The women just smiled. And pointed at their wares they wanted us to buy. I would’ve loved to have bought a particular fabric… but it was pretty pricy, even for us “Americans”. But some of these projects take them several months to make, so it’s hard to haggle them down too low. We want to be respectful in the negotiations.

Anyway, enough writing. Check out the multitude of pics below…


What a beautiful invention!!
What a beautiful invention!!
The first group of 5 are in the plane. Not sure what's happening with Jonathan and Heather here... one looks very nervous while the other looks rather entertained!!
The first group of 5 are in the plane. Not sure what’s happening with Jonathan and Heather here… one looks very nervous while the other looks rather entertained!!
Jeremy... looking very at home in the front seat.
Jeremy… looking very at home in the front seat.
The plane is on a winch, and is released backwards from its shed down to the water.
The plane is on a winch, and is released backwards from its shed down to the water.
John, our pilot from SAM Air, preps something... or maybe disconnects the cable. Yeah - that must be it.
John, our pilot from SAM Air, preps something… or maybe disconnects the cable. Yeah – that must be it.

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He has to do some clever moves to actually get into the driver's seat!!
He has to do some clever moves to actually get into the driver’s seat!!

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Bev.
Bev.
Stacey and Patrick. They were in the second group to fly.
Stacey and Patrick. They were in the second group to fly.

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Olivia.
Olivia.
Miguel, leading a bunch of us on a hike to Angie's house.
Miguel, leading a bunch of us on a hike to Angie’s house.
We visited the SAM Air office and they showed us the radar so we could see where the rest of our team were flying. So cool!!
We visited the SAM Air office and they showed us the radar so we could see where the rest of our team were flying. So cool!!
We're in the middle of the jungle, in Peru, at a itty-bitty air field... and I see a "City of Westminster" sign on the "bathroom".
We’re in the middle of the jungle, in Peru, at a itty-bitty air field… and I see a “City of Westminster” sign on the “bathroom”.
This is Angie. And her monkey.
This is Angie. And her monkey.

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The monkey used to be Tom's pet at Casa Shea... but Tom gave him to Angie a while ago. She has a huge space with tons of trees... and other monkeys.
The monkey used to be Tom’s pet at Casa Shea… but Tom gave him to Angie a while ago. She has a huge space with tons of trees… and other monkeys.

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Back atcha.
Back atcha.
Another of Angie's monkeys. Oh, my bad... that's Peet!!
Another of Angie’s monkeys. Oh, my bad… that’s Peet!!
Apparently, marshmallows are a treat for these creatures. They may live in the jungle, but they're definitely not wild!!
Apparently, marshmallows are a treat for these creatures. They may live in the jungle, but they’re definitely not wild!!

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Patrick.
Patrick.

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She has two of these sour-faced dudes.
She has two of these sour-faced dudes.

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Check out that prehensile tail...!!
Check out that prehensile tail…!!

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John.
John.

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Please ignore the satellite dish in the background... I promise we're in the jungle!!
Please ignore the satellite dish in the background… I promise we’re in the jungle!!
"Stop talking for a minute..."
“Stop talking for a minute…”
"... and let me check your teeth..."
“… and let me check your teeth…”
"... and your appendix!!"
“… and your appendix!!”

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#selfie
#selfie
Stacey.
Stacey.

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This one loved fresh mango.
This one loved fresh mango.

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Jeremy had just bought a painted pot from the Shipibo village... and the monkey was incredibly curious.
Jeremy had just bought a painted pot from the Shipibo village… and the monkey was incredibly curious.

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Leaf cutter ants!! They're so fascinating!!
Leaf cutter ants!! They’re so fascinating!!

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Peet, trying to get a good photo of Mitch and Bev in the airplane hangar.
Peet, trying to get a good photo of Mitch and Bev in the airplane hangar.

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The one I got!!
The one I got!!

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Peeping Peet.
Peeping Peet.
Sweet Joanna.
Sweet Joanna.

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Here comes our ride.
Here comes our ride.

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I think John enjoyed his plane ride.
I think John enjoyed his plane ride.
One of the Shipibo fabrics that Patrick and Stacey bought from the women in the village.
One of the Shipibo fabrics that Patrick and Stacey bought from the women in the village.
Our trusty pilot, John. He's married to Gioconda, our fabulous translator.
Our trusty pilot, John. He’s married to Gioconda, our fabulous translator.
Mitch and Bev.
Mitch and Bev.
Joanna.
Joanna.
"Shotgun!!"
“Shotgun!!”
Yours truly.
Yours truly.

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Stacey and John, solving the problems of the Amazonian world.
Stacey and John, solving the problems of the Amazonian world.

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I was fascinated by the villages we flew over.
I was fascinated by the villages we flew over.

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The Ucayali River.
The Ucayali River.
The village we were aiming for.
The village we were aiming for.
Home to approx 200 people.
Home to approx 200 people.

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In the wet season, the Ucayali floods the village... so the houses are built so they're raised off the ground.
In the wet season, the Ucayali floods the village… so the houses are built so they’re raised off the ground.
This reminded me of Brazil... there's always a bunch of kids to welcome you to the village.
This reminded me of Brazil… there’s always a bunch of kids to welcome you to the village.
Mitch... making sure the plane doesn't float away with the rest of our group on board.
Mitch… making sure the plane doesn’t float away with the rest of our group on board.
Joanna... trying to get off the plane without falling in the river.
Joanna… trying to get off the plane without falling in the river.

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Friends made in an instant. So cute.
Friends made in an instant. So cute.

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The village church.
The village church.

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The pastor.
The pastor.
The ladies lay out all their handmade fabrics, jewelry, bags and pots in the hope that us gringos will buy something.
The ladies lay out all their handmade fabrics, jewelry, bags and pots in the hope that us gringos will buy something.

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Cat's cradle? ... in the middle of the jungle?
Cat’s cradle? … in the middle of the jungle?

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I loved this necklace I saw, so I bought it. And then I met the lady who made it!! Seriously, how often do you get to meet the person who made a piece of jewelry from an artisan jungle artist?? I love it!! On the bottom right of the photo, you can see an example of a typical Shipibo fabric design.
I loved this necklace I saw, so I bought it. And then I met the lady who made it!! Seriously, how often do you get to meet the person who made a piece of jewelry from an artisan jungle artist?? I love it!!
On the bottom right of the photo, you can see an example of a typical Shipibo fabric design.
Look at these colors!!
Look at these colors!!
Our pilot, John, had a friend who kept taking the mickey out of him.
Our pilot, John, had a friend who kept taking the mickey out of him.

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We'd asked a lady if we could see her home and it meant the whole village walked with us to where she lived!!
We’d asked a lady if we could see her home and it meant the whole village walked with us to where she lived!!

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Here she is with her baby. I think she said there are 3 generations living in their 2-room house.
Here she is with her baby. I think she said there are 3 generations living in their 2-room house.
Our farewell committee.
Our farewell committee.
Peet took this one - I love it.
Peet took this one – I love it.

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