day 3,4 – Yanamono

Water looks volatile. Think of primordial serpents. Paddle until the heat is intense then crawl under a tree at a community and eat jam. A group gathers to stare at us. A man on his way to the fields and an old lady speak to us. Bathe on canoe many times (dunk water on ourselves with cut off plastic bottle.) Arrive at a community called Yanamono, put up tent. Put the fishing net across a creek by the community. We are cooking and mosquito time comes around. I look down my hand and is smothered by mosquitos. Flee.

becoming a fisherwoman

Haul out the net and can’t believe it. Abundance! about 40 fish are trapped. Spend about 3 hours untangling them. Haven’t learnt to salt fish so keep some for breakfast and dinner and gift the rest. We feed the entire community. Many people there are teachers about to go on holiday. The main school for the surrounding communities is here. They invite us to a typical foods tasting. There’s tortoise soup, jungle meat, juanes. We taste bitefuls. Secretly wanted to gorge on food. Lie in hammock. There are many mosquitoes here even during the day, horseflies too. Can feel venom circulating in my blood from all the bites. Hurts. That night sleep in the school room.

using items in the school room to cook oatmeal. We made that soda-can stove looked up instructions on the internet. It works by burning alcohol. works good.

 

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