Puyo

The ride to Puyo was pretty easy. It was arriving in Puyo that proved tricky.

I must have been on the only bus with a prima donna handler. I managed to figure out that the bus didn't actually stop at the bus station in Puyo, and got him to flag the best stop and point out where I needed to go. Of course, it was pouring again. But the city bus came by right away, and that driver was super friendly and helpful, so all was well.

Except, no Jenny at the bus stop. And no phones until 8:30. So. Finally I could call her, and thankfully she answered. I understood, despite all the noise, that she wanted me to take a taxi to their lodge. Try as I could, I just could not hear her. (Did I mention that I'm bad with the telephone? It's even worse in Spanish.) But thankfully I had a good taxi driver who somehow knew where I wanted to go, despite the fact that I got the name completely wrong.


El Pigual was a lovely place. You had to walk across this crazy bridge to get there from the road. There were a number of bridges like this in Puyo, and they all bounced dramatically when you walked on them.


Jenny wasn't in the restaurant as she said she would be, but I spied Josien, who is from Suriname, and on COICA's Board. So I had made it!


This is the building where my room was located. The image above, with the butterfly, was my door.

I joined the ladies for a guided walk through one of the area parks, and then we had lunch. We actually saw beautiful parrots flying overhead! After lunch was a market by the indigenous women at the conference -- many had brought hand-made goods from their communities. Good thing I had some cash with me, although it didn't last long! Holiday shopping!!


One of COICA's banners. COICA works for the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin, and their interest area spans nine countries. I hope to do some work with them in the near future.


My friend Liz from Suriname. Her community does lovely beadwork. Below, some of the amazing earrings of tagua nut. Oh so many beautiful and amazing things!


After was a special event, with a traditional meal prepared by one of the communities from the mangrove region, and a birthday cake for one of the women from Colombia. Manuela, who is Waorani from the eastern rainforest of Ecuador, gave a speech before she left, then talked to each woman in turn. We had been talking earlier in the evening, so I promised to send her some things from the museum if she wrote me with her address. She then gave me the necklace she was wearing, an incredible piece made with forest seeds and nuts and a woven band. Yes, I started to cry. When one of my friends later heard what had happened, I was told that I am a very special person indeed. Turns out, Manuela is not just one of the leaders of her community, she is also one of the Presidential consultants on indigenous issues. The very special lady is clearly she.....

It was a long day, and a difficult one, because of joining a group that was already in progress and where I was clearly an outsider. But my Spanish got a good workout, and my knowledge and training and interest all served their purpose. Several of the women, amazingly, had been to the museum, so that made things much much easier. And when you have a good chat with one, others follow.

It was an INCREDIBLE day -- amazing women, each battling the same and yet different troubles in their home countries, each facing similar issues related to their common environment and status as indigenous people. Humbling, inspiring, another life-changing event. I'm thrilled to have met so many remarkable women. And I'm beyond fortunate to call some of them friend.