Star of the water “ In the rivers of the Amazon. The photographer noted, œThe water lily (Victoria regia), an aquatic plant is typical of the Amazon region. Its leaves are large and circular,
with folded edges, forming a sort of basin. They can reach 2 meters in diameter. The leaves of the lily pad can withstand the weight of a small child in the water without sinking.
According to an Indian legend about the lilypad, œAs its flowers open at night, the Indians liken to the moon and stars. They say that once in the Amazon, there lived an Indian girl
that she wanted to become a star. At night, she liked to look at the sky to admire the stars. She thought that the moon could come pick her up on Earth and take it to heaven.
One night, a beautiful Indian girl leaned over the side of the river, where the moon was reflected. She was mesmerized by the image of the moon, fell into the river
and disappeared into the water. The moon then turned into a lilypad. So the flower of the lily pad is called ˜star of the waters™. Photo #8 by Miriam C de Souza
The photographer wrote of the ˜Wild Boy™, œHis eyes reflects the nostalgia of an almost extinct World. Wearing an Amazon Toucan, traditionally used only for the sacred dances
and very special moments, this boy is learning from the Shamans the traditional dances of the Kotococha culture, a knowledge which is only transmitted from the shaman
to the few chosen by word of mouth. Origin: Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, Kotococha tribe. Photo #15 by Gustavo Morejón
Folklore of Amazonas is nourished from legends and stories in which mystery and inexplicable things are always present. One example on Wikipedia includes
œif you ask people about the lagoon of Cochaconga, they will say that it is enchanted. They say it has the ˜form of a neck™ and that with the smallest noise provoked by an animal
or the scream of a person, there will be a tremendous thunderstorm in which an enormous monster will appear in the shape of cow. This monster will become mad with the strangers.
That™s why, whoever passes by this remote place, does it with maximum precautions for not altering the local silence. Photo #17 by NewWorldReview
Amazon Rainforest, seen from the Alto Madre de Dios river, in Peru. Before 1960, access to the forest™s interior was restricted and the Amazon jungle remained mostly intact.
During the 1960s, farms were established based on crop cultivation and the slash and burn method. Deforestation was so considerable that the areas which were cleared of forest
were visible to the naked eye from outer space. Photo #23 by Martin St-Amant
In 2010 the Amazon rainforest experienced another horrific drought, in some ways more extreme than in 2005.
In a typical year the Amazon absorbs 1.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide; during 2005 instead 5 gigatons were released and
in 2010 8 gigatons were released. Photo #24 by Hudson Alves
Amazon rainforest, near Manaus, Brazil. Image taken from top of a 50 m tower for meteorological observations, and the top of vegetation canopy is typically 35 m.
The image was taken within 30 minutes of a rain event, and a few white ˜clouds™ above the canopy are indicative of rapid evaporation from wet leaves after the rain.
Much of the Amazon is still unexplored, many of its indigenous plants and animals are unknown . . . perhaps even plants yet to be discovered that could cure diseases
that plague the people on our planet. The leaves and branches of the rainforest are so dense that it creates a œroof that does not allow the sunlight to reach the ground.
The ground remains dark, damp and waiting for discovery. Photo #28 by Phil P Harris
A Yagua (Yahua) tribeman demonstrating the use of blowgun (blow dart), at one of the Amazonian ˜islands™.
Another folklore of Amazona from Peru are attributed to certain animals. For example: The mochuelo that œfreezes the soul,
or the œquien-quien that makes fun of the travelers in the roads. When the singing crickets sounds like bells,
it is supposedly foretelling of a œbig evil. Photo #30 by Roosevelt Garcia
The photographer wrote, œYacumana and Chullachaqui are two demons of the local legends. Yacumana is a demon of the water (boa man);
Chullachaqui can transform itself to mimic any person¦is it your mum coming to you? No, look at his feet, that™s how you recognize him,
he always has a big one! Photo #44 by Pierre Pouliquin
Source: Enjoythe mast Group
