Puerto Bolivar
This Native village in the heart of the Cuyabeno Reserve in the Amazon rainforest in northeastern Ecuador is home to the Siona Indians, who have lived here in harmony with the jungle for thousands of years. Slowly they are adapting to some of the conveniences of modern civilization. Outboard motors power their huge dugout canoes, for example, and school, television and Christianity are all part of their lives.
Houses in the Siona Indian village of Puerto Bolivar are positioned to catch the slightest breeze in this hot and humid climate. Although one can sometimes find insect netting, window glass is almost non-existent in this part of the world.
Children, unsupervised by adults, romp in the muddy waters of the Cuyabeno River close by the village of Puerto Bolivar.
During our visit one of our group dropped a camera into the river's murky waters, and it was given up for lost. Within minutes, however, our boatman, Tomas, who hails from this village, and some children dove and groped along the bottom of the river and found the camera. We dried out it and it seems to be in working condition.
Shy in the presence of North American strangers, a child is comforted by his mother aboard a dugout canoe while on a banana-gathering expedition.
The dugout canoes, hewed deeped in the rainforest from single tree trunks, are the object of great ceremony when they are launched. Villagers gather for a great party before hauling the heavy canoe from its tree site to water.
A Siona child ponders her fate or perhaps just considers the lack of a playmate while perched on a bluff above the Cuyabeno River. (Note: this image is heavily cropped from a 35mm slide.)
A generator-powered television provides diversion for these residents of Puerto Bolivar who have gathered in a classroom for some immunizations. The programming appeared to be some sort of Sylvestor-Stallone action-type movie.
The propietress of the town's one business, a small general store, graciously awaits customers at her small window.
