Mark and Olly:  Living With The Machigenga

Explorers Mark and Olly take on their most daring mission yet to live with the extraordinary Machigenga people in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon.

Mark and Olly will totally immerse themselves in lives of the Machigenga.  It’s a land of shamans, mind-bending drugs and journeys into the spirit world.

They’ll undertake any ritual and rite of passage. 

They’ll sleep, eat and hunt exactly like the locals – there’s no challenge too tough and nothing they won’t do.

Their mission is to build a lasting record of one of the world’s greatest tribes - while they still exist.

Travel Channel, 2009

8 x 60

 

CICADA made the series with the invaluable support of CEDIA (Centre for the development of the Amazon indigenous peoples)

CEDIA is a Peruvian non-profit organization (NGO) that works with the indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon in order to guarantee their territorial patrimony and right to sustainably manage their natural resources.

The first indigenous peoples CEDIA worked with were the Machigenga.  They assisted them in establishing legal title to their land and continue to play an active role protecting and supporting their lifestyle.

The Machigenga face threats from colonization, road building projects and gas, oil and timber concessions.  CEDIA work with the assistance of international contributions to support the Machigenga and other indigenous communities along the Urubamba, Madre de Dios, Apurimac, Chambira and Galvez-Yaquerana rivers.

Individual projects originated by CEDIA include:

The creation of Natural Protected Areas, for instance the Megantoni National Sanctuary and the Machigenga Communal Reserve;

The creation of territorial reserves for isolated groups such as the Kugapakori (Nanty) and Nahua (Yora).

The development of ecotourism projects such as Sabeti lodge on the Urubamba river.

Sabeti Lodge is located on the Urubamba river near the mouth of the Sabeti river.  It has comfortable accommodation for 20 visitors and offers spectacular attractions, including beautiful natural landscapes, superb sunrises and sunsets and profuse biodiversity.  The beautiful Pongo de Maenique, Tonkini and painted rocks or “pigompirinshi” in the Megantoni National Sanctuary are within easy reach.

Cultural shows at the Lodge allow the visitor to learn more about Machigenga traditions which have been handed down over the generations by “habladores” or story tellers.

For further information see www.sabetilodge.com

For further information about CEDIA see www.cedia.org.pe