Spirit of the Huaoranf: An Amazon People of Ecuador's Yasuni Region

For at least a thousand years, the Huaorani have lived in harmony with the environment, deep in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. But that peaceful existence changed the moment they first made contact with the outside world. Now, as Indians, they are automatically relegated to the lowest social strata of Ecuadorian society; and even within that strata they come last, looked down upon for their nudity and victimized by sensationalistic newspaper headlines. In this powerful volume, the award-winning photographic team of Pete Oxford and Renee Bish document their plight. It is their unashamed attempt to reveal to the entire world the warm, gentle, and humorous spirit of the Huaorani. Led by an educated member of the tribe who had written a book on Huaorani mythology, Oxford and Bish enjoyed the rare opportunity to view the society through an insider’s eyes. They gained privileged insight, and were able to capture candid and dignified moments with sensitivity, passion, and skill. Thanks to their work, embellished with well-chosen and illuminating quotations and history, we can finally see the faces of these fascinating people, often bright with laughter and smiles; watch them navigate the rivers and forests of their native land; and see the beauty of their way of life.

PETE OXFORD, a British biologist and resident of Ecuador since 1985, is an internationally renowned, award-winning nature photographer who has been published in National Geographic, Smithsonian, International Wildlife, BBC Wildlife, GEO, Airone, and Nature’s Best. He is also a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ICLP). With his wife RENEE BISH, he has published eight books, including the newly published Galapagos Both Sides of the Coin (Imagine) and Galapagos: The Untamed Isle (Imagine).