[Leica] IMG: Maloca

[Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie)]

Fabulous.
Every now and again we have a jewel!!!!
FD

On 6 Dec, 2010, at 21:09, John Beeching wrote:

> Dear All,
> 
> This summer I spent four weeks in Colombia, one week working and the
> remainder visiting the extended family or travelling with my immediate
> family - wife, eight year old son and father-in-law.  Photographic
> opportunities were not abundant as security concerns restrict the kind of
> street photography I normally do.  However, in Amazonas we were able to be 
> a
> bit freer.  As a plant scientis,t with research interests in cassava, I was
> delighted to come across the local production of farinha.  Of more general
> interest, we were invited by an indian community leader, Gustavo, to visit
> his maloca in the forest.  Getting there was quite an adventure as our
> driver dropped us where the 4x4 could get no further and we had to wait for
> a guide to lead us through to the maloca - an enormous communal house in a
> clearing.  There after being refreshed with some home made chicha we were
> taken to the river, during the walk Gustavo waxed lyrical about plants, the
> indian's relationship with nature and the destructive nature of the white
> man - in his enthusiasm he kept slipping out of Spanish into his own
> language, which made it difficult to follow.  In the river Gustavo and I 
> sat
> up to our necks in the water sorting the world's problems out while my
> little boy swam with his grand-daughter.  Back at the Maloca we were 
> offered
> his powdered tobacco (snuff) blown up our nostrils through a bone tube, I
> reciprocated by blowing it up Gustavo's - my son did not like it.  Then we
> each had a spoonful of powdered coca leaves with ash, by which time lunch
> was ready - grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves and plantains, 
> accompanied
> with cassava bread, all washed down with home-made lemonade.  While the 
> food
> was delicious, my father in law and I drank out of politeness, my son out 
> of
> thirst, but my wife did not; wisely, as 24 hours later the men were rather
> unwell!
> 
> http://www.johnbeeching.com/maloca/album/index.html
> 
> The photos:  35mm, Tri-X, Xtol.  C & C welcome.
> 
> I am always slightly amused when I read on this forum enquiries about what
> equipment to take on travels: How many bodies?  Lenses?  Digital and film?
> Tripod?  Etc.?  More often than not I just take my M6 with the 35mm
> Summicron in a bum-bag (fanny-bag) round my waist - light, secure and
> inconspicuous, and no back problems!
> 
> Yours,
> 
> John
> 
> -- 
> John Beeching
> http://johnbeeching.com/
> Three Frome Artists: http://www.blurb.com/books/1395201
> 
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