Festa in Vila Alencar - Mamirauá

Last night we had the 'planned' activity of fishing. Sitting in a boat yet again waiting for a fish seemed somewhat unappealing and when the opportunity came up to visit one of the local communities where a festa was planned (several of the guides are from this community) everyone jumped on it.  

I think the photos speak for themselves - it was, as one guest, Renato from São Paulo put it, pure poetry and a refreshing interruption from all our jungly activities. 

On the way to Vila Alencar

Vila Alencar  

Welcome committee II

Kids are all over that tree, making a splash in their swimming hole right out front

Carefree days of just being a kid

From what the Uakari folks told us, this ceremony involves raising two decorated poles that are symbols of gratitude or petitions to god, fireworks (they are catholic after all) and the women and children sing, play a drum and walk around the raised poles several times, many holding lit candles. The men are getting a soccer game going and a small cluster of older women sit vigilantly on a large styrofoam cooler full of Schin beer on ice to be sold at R$3 each.  

The catholic church, decked out in white and red for the festa

Raising the pole

'Voladores' just like home, but these are cardboard tubes

Not everyone is crazy about the fire crackers