Erin
Skoczylas

The Peruvian Amazon

The Peruvian Amazon

Two children from the local Chino village canoe home. In the Lower Amazon Basin, canoes are often the only source of transport.

Peruvian Amazon.jpg

Milky Way Over the Amazon

In the absence of light pollution, the Amazon sky is illuminated with stars pouring over the Rainforest.

Football is a popular sport around the world, and the Amazon is no exception. Here, some soccer players relax after a game in the village.

Football is a popular sport around the world, and the Amazon is no exception. Here, some soccer players relax after a game in the village.

The illegal trafficking of exotic birds is a common business in isolated areas. Endangered species can moreover be sold for lucrative prices, and the feathers and body parts of the birds are useful.

The illegal trafficking of exotic birds is a common business in isolated areas. Endangered species can moreover be sold for lucrative prices, and the feathers and body parts of the birds are useful.

LGBTQ Indigenous Rights in the Peruvian Amazon

A trans woman poses for a photo outside a local cantina. While some areas of the Amazon are more gender fluid, other parts are influenced by strong catholic beliefs as a result from previous colonizers. Due to this, LGBTQ people are often marginalized in some Peruvian communities.

A local tour guide canoes towards one of the oldest trees in the Tahuayo basin in search for the Hoatzin bird, otherwise known as a "Shanshu" to locals.

A local tour guide canoes towards one of the oldest trees in the Tahuayo basin in search for the Hoatzin bird, otherwise known as a "Shanshu" to locals.

Owl Monkeys

Owl monkeys are a good indicator of clean environments and areas free from Malaria. They are often tracked and monitored by locals as indicators of malaria in the area as they are one of the most vulnerable species to the disease.

Rainy Season

The water levels in the Amazon vary between the wet and dry seasons. As the water decreases in the tributary, routes and trails vary in accessibility.

Local Shaman and village medicine practices

A village Shaman holds his own creation of ayahuasca in his home in the Chino village. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew with hallucinogenic properties native to the Amazon. It has many components, the main ingredients being the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine, and the Psychotria viridis.

The rise in ayahuasca over the past decade has brought many tourists to Peru and other parts of the Amazon, drawing much business for locals to pretending to act as Shamans and creating a black market for tourism.

The decline in shamon apprentices

An American tourist named Eddy visits the local shaman in a village to receive natural treatment for chronic stress. Many Shamon apprentices are decreasing, as most children hope to go to the main land to receive higher education. Due to the smaller number, shamons often trade information by speaking with each other. Some shamons speak up to several different languages to communicate with other tribes.

A child plays in the local river.

A child plays in the local river.

The Amazon river is the source of livelihood for those who dwell along it. Thousands of people depend on the health of the Amazon river for their livelihoods, food, hygiene, and transportation.

While the river is full with predators such as pirana and electric eels, children grow up with a quick awareness to the river. Here, children play regularly in the river at the end of the day.

The Amazon river is the source of livelihood for those who dwell along it. Thousands of people depend on the health of the Amazon river for their livelihoods, food, hygiene, and transportation.

While the river is full with predators such as pirana and electric eels, children grow up with a quick awareness to the river. Here, children play regularly in the river at the end of the day.

Instead of four seasons, the Amazon is divided into rainy seasons, and dry seasons.

Instead of four seasons, the Amazon is divided into rainy seasons, and dry seasons.

The winner of a local beauty contest "Miss Chino" poses for a picture in the community hall center.

The winner of a local beauty contest "Miss Chino" poses for a picture in the community hall center.

Aguaje Harvest

Aguaje is a fruit that comes from palm trees growing all over different parts of the Amazon. It is known for having high amounts of estrogen.

As a myth, it is a superfruit for woman. In the local villages of Peru, some boys will tease eachother for turning into woman if they consume too much aguaje.

Construction in remote villages

A worker stops for rest while carrying piles of cement to build a cement school in his village. Annual floods destroy many houses and schools that block kids from learning.

There are hopes a cement infrastructure will outstand the floods for a school that will be open in the rainy season.

Worker Carries Cement

Large bags of cement arrive to local villages in from a boat in Iquitos. Village locals carry the bags to higher dry ground in order to build a school for the children.

Local Hospital in Esperanza

A local clinic sews a wound from a local who split his head while playing Football.

There is only one clinic located in the Tahuayo basin. Often children and local people that have seriousness illnesses have to make a long journey to the city of Iquitos to see a doctor.

Suri: An Amazonian Delicacy

Llacko eats Suri at a market in Iquitos. Suri is a type of Larvae of the Palm Weevil that lives in the Aguaje Palm Tree in the Amazon, feeding off of the sap. It can be eaten alive, or fried, and locals often compare the grubs taste to coconuts as a delicacy.

Fruit Market in Iquitos

A boy searches a fruit market in Iquitos.

A local fishes for his dinner.

A local fishes for his dinner.

An armored catfish remains as leftovers for lunch and the catch of the day.

An armored catfish remains as leftovers for lunch and the catch of the day.

Man becomes engulfed with smoke while burning bamboo.

Man becomes engulfed with smoke while burning bamboo.

A mother nurses her new born child. On her baby's wrists are local beans known as "huayruro" she also sells to tourists. This is her way of making an income for her family.

A mother nurses her new born child. On her baby's wrists are local beans known as "huayruro" she also sells to tourists. This is her way of making an income for her family.

Artisian crafts.

Artisian crafts.

Angels-of-the-Amazon-bernando-with-mom.j

Tourist companies use ecotourism practices to reintroduce abused animals into the wild.

Tourist companies use ecotourism practices to reintroduce abused animals into the wild.