Adventure Expedition 2 - December 2004

EcoTribal Expedition 2 re-visited the Ashaninka and delivered a working solar radio communications system to the village of Parijaro. It was an arduous expedition involving three days hard walking steeply uphill through the rainforest and a dangerous exit down a swollen, very white river.

Expedition Members:

• Dilwyn Jenkins (EcoTribal)

• Mike Paul (EcoTribal)

• Chris Ford (Eco-builder and Renewable Energy Engineer)

• Carlos Montenegro (Anthropologist, photoghrapher, EcoTribal Peru)

• Michelle Saenz (ACPC, friend of the Ashaninka and explorer)

• Jaime (Solar Engineer, Ashaninka guide and general expedition saviour and superman)

• Jesus (Ashaninka guide, cook and trainee eco tour leader)

• Antonio (Ashaninka guide, cook and trainee eco tour leader)

• Other Ashaninka from the villages of Chiriapo and Parijaro

Although physically challenging, EcoTribal Expedition 2 was one of great humour. Jaime particularly enjoyed the moment when Dilwyn nearly speared Chris (the Viking). At the time we were slipping and slithering down precipitous muddy cliffs, twisting through giant weirdly formed tree routes, like us clinging to anything which might offer support. Descending to the wet season upper Parijaro village from about 6,500ft above sea level to around 5,000ft, we were still well above the Parijaro waterfalls (themselves a sheer 1000ft drop) and could see their amazing form across the valley.

We installed the radio in a matter of hours on the second day at Parijaro. The Ashaninka erecting poles for the 25m aerial in just five or ten minutes. Jaime and Chris wired up the solar module and radio. Soon the chief - Shirampari Potente - was talking to other chiefs in the area for the first time on his own radio system.

The exit by river was significantly more dangerous than our previous river trip in July. We had brought with us an inflatable rubber canoe, about 4m in length and rated for grade III or IV white water. This was useful and meant we needed less balsa wood rafts, but we still needed 3 rafts and the canoe was only good for 2 men (one who knows the river - an Ashaninka, plus another) until we got through the worst of the rapids and the pongo (white water canyon) on the Cutivireni river.

The most scary moment was also (in hindsight) quite comical. Instead of criss crossing across the river to avoid the worst of the rapids, one of the rafts got sucked into the main current and dragged fast straight towards a big boulder where there was a more or less permanent whirlpool rapids in the river. The canoe and the other rafts were beached and watching helplessly and in disbelief as one by one they all jumped off the raft. First one Ashaninka, then Michelle, then the other Ashaninka and finally Carlos. The latter, however, decides to hang on to the back of the raft, thinking to himself - what about all our gear piled up in the middle of the raft? - as he jumped. So there it was, Carlos dragged behind the raft as it careers through and straight out the other side of the rapids. We ran along the stony beach all shouting different advice.

Carlos had his wits about him and, after going though another rapids, utilised the next calm water to climb aboard and start to take charge of the raft. We were all exceptionally happy to catch up with Carlos on the next beach. Apart from being EcoTribal's main man in Peru, he has a heart of gold, a gigantic sense of humour and lots of loved ones.