Abuelo Mapajo, Hermano Tacana (plus Civilization vs. The Great Mystery and Prophecy)

2013 South American Saunters

February 2013

           Wilman stops, listens intently, glances up towards the treetops, waits a few seconds, and then slowly continues on along the barely visible jungle trail. He repeats this routine every few minutes as we amble down one of the numerous trails around the Caquiahuara eco-lodge in Tacana land, Madidi National Park, Bolivia, South America, Earth.  After four or five silent pauses, he suddenly urges us to quickly come forward and look up at the distant tree branches… there we spot a Howler Monkey 100 feet above, almost invisible to the naked eye. Wilman’s finely tuned vision grasps any movement in these jungle trees and quickly directs us city folks toward a whole array of Amazon birds, plants, and animals. I could spend weeks out here studying trees, plants, wildlife, listening to this brother’s knowledge of his land. It feels like I’ve been here before, like I’m re-living something from a past not so long ago.

An Antenna Between Heaven and Earth (Ranger Responsibility)

2013 South American Saunters

April 2013

            As Autumn approaches Mapuche land (Wallmapu - what is now referred to as central Chile), while walking beneath the groves of the beautiful, abstract looking Pehuen or Araucaria trees one can hear the piñons tumble off the trees almost like a rattle shaking or the sound of heavy drops of rain hitting the ground. The ripe pine-esque cones on the female trees grow thick and round when they are ready to deposit hundreds of super rich seeds to the ground, seemingly intentionally sent down for every sort of animal to consume. The entire forest, humans included, lives off this magnificent pine nut. My timing was perfect: I arrived in Conguillio and Huerquehue National Parks at the peak moment of piñon collecting – they were literally falling at my feet as I hiked through the glorious landscapes that make up these two parks.