Tayrona Tribes

 

I caught up with another group that we would occasionally mix in with at this Indian camp.

 

 

This guide was explaining to his group, as Pedro had to us the night before (too dark for photos) the meaning of this carved gourd. He said that every boy on his 18th birthday will get this. It ends up containing coca leaf extract that every man produces by chewing the leaves and then deposits on the stick. There is a powdered substance inside, seashell based, I think, that absorbs the wet and concentrated residue. This way, the powder inside will slowy get ever more potent. Then, when a hard task is ahead, the men reverse the process and now lick some of the concentrate off the stick to give them energy. Women don't get this. They are considered naturally stronger than men and in no need of such support.

 

Moving deeper into the Indian's territory. There are over 300,000 living in this vast park, and many different tribes speaking different dialects

 

The kids know that the visitors bring goodies and often come running to greet the hikers and their guides

 

The guides know what the kids like, what is acceptable, and even speak a few words of their language

 

We continued to the main local village

 

 

A couple of long-range grabs with my telephoto lens

 

 

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