Bameno Singles

©Caiga Baihua En: Mima Ganquimi andher daughter rest in a hammock in Bameno.
Waotededo: Mima tono nanowenga ñowode owodapa.
©Caiga Baihua En: Luciana Nama prepares cassava root from her farm near Bameno.
Waotededo: Luciana kei tenogampa.
©Caiga Baihua En: Luciana Nama and her family cook cassava root that was collected from her farm near her home in Bameno.
Waotededo: Luciana nani wenkabo kene enogampa.
©Ewene Ima En: A caterpillar climbs on a chambira hammock hanging in a house in the Waorani community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Ocone, timade nemonkade eipa ñooga, one ñoo piode waodani owoyomo Bameno.
©Dogaka Baihua En: Paiche maito (a traditional fish plate) cooks over the fire in Kemperi's home in Bameno.
Waotededo: Yeye enoinga.
©Mima Ganquimi En: Clouds pass over a soccer field in the community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Bogima wodo tebempa bameno peipo opoimankade.
©Boya Ñama En: This species of flower grows in the grass near the lagoon and marshlands around Bameno community, especially during the rainy season.
Waotededo: Mani ongai gawape yewede pepa bameno nani owoyomo köne depo iñede.
©Boya Ñama En: Cassava root is a very significant food for the Bameno community. It takes about six months to grow, so it is important to cultivate new plants constantly.
Waotededo: Nani Bameno owoyomo kene Kengi nangi waemo impa, tome pepa emempoke go adoke apaika mani beye toma ñede gaki impa.
©Kipa Nenkemo Huabe En: This spider on the bank of Cononaco River always builds its webs near the river to feed on butterflies.
Waotededo: Bakaya kowe ñanompa bokayame timadeini inani kenkete ante.
©Kipa Nenkemo Huabe En: A group of women in the Bameno community take part in a minga (community gathering) organized by the school teacher to clean up the vegetation around the school and community.
Waotededo: Bameno waodani okiyenani gagime pinonanipa, menkayonta odemonga godo epeneka ponte, minkayonta nani ayomo tono tomenani owoyomo waponi nenkete ante.
©Mima Ganquimi En: Various species of palm grow at the edge of a lagoon near the community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Gawape yewedeka bameno pepa teeye datamowe.
©Boya Ñama En: This lagoon is located near Bameno community. In the month of July, it is almost completely dry. Animals like boas (a species of snake), paiche (a type of fish), charapas (river turtles) and large alligators live here.
Waotededo: Bameno nani owoyomo gawape ongo julio (wibaka tede) epe wedame poni impa ada weite, tomiñomo kewenani oingaidi obe bai, paichi tono ñene noma.
©Kipa Nenkemo Huabe En: This vine is used by several species of monkey to quickly climb trees in the forest of the Yasuní near Bameno.
Waotededo: Mani omeñeka yekene toma gataidi kewo impa kiñe poni eikete ante Yasuní omede.
©Omekiri Yate En: A caterpillar feeds on a leaf along the path through the woods near the Waorani community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Nemonkade oñabo kegampa iyomo bameno gameno nai keweñomo.
©Kipa Nenkemo Huabe En: Nenquimo, who is eight years old, proudly holds a blowgun. He is learning to use this blowgun, made in the traditional Waorani way, to hunt with his father in the jungle near his community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Nenquimo, emempoke go meña adoke wadepo inga tote omena bei okonte ne gongegampa mani omena kowe nani kei bai keina impa, inkete tomenga nengampa onte eñenkete ante wempoka bai omede, Boanamo nani owoyomo.
©Gomo Ñama En: Along a trail to the lagoon near the community of Bameno, this wild cocoa bush is flowering.
Waotededo: Gawapä kegonke goyede Bameno nani owoyomo obote, mani kope mowenka pete ongai podote ongompa.
©Boya Tega En: In the community of Bameno, Nama Tehueyene uses traditional Waorani clothing made from the chambira, a palm fiber that is very durable.
Waotededo: Tehueyene Ñama, waodani eñate kewemai eñakampa ongima kei wantepiye añakete ante ante.
©Wangui Koba En: This heart-shaped leaf, called kowentobeyo in Wao Tededo, sits along a trail in the forest near Bameno.
Waotededo: Adoke oñabo kowentobeyo mimo bai ñabo abaimipa bameno gameno.
©KipaHuabe En: When the water level rises in the lagoon close to the community of Bameno, large numbers of these small winged insects appear.
Waotededo: Bameno nani owoyomo obote gawape ongo tao epe añede giyidi bamo pananita ponanipa.
©Kipa Huabe En: Many animals live in the woods around the community of Bameno, including this species of gecko.
Waotededo: Bameno nani owoyomo omede bamo kewenanipa eweneidi.
©Boya Ñama En: This species of flower grows in the grass near the lagoon and marshlands around Bameno community, especially during the rainy season.
Waotededo: Mani ongai gawape yewede pepa bameno nani owoyomo köne depo iñede.
©Omekiri Yate En: Animals such as piranha fish, paiche fish, and boa snakes reside in this lagoon, far from the community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Adoke gawape goobe bameno gameno bakoo oigaidi kewenanipa gade, obe, painche.
©Kipa Huabe En: Toa, or dragonflies, live near wetlands and floodplains around the Bameno community. According to Waorani beliefs, they transform into butterflies each year.
Waotededo: Towaidi nani (libélulas) anani yekene aki´ma tono omape epe ante ongoñomo pedanipa, waodani apenete enyente kewemai yekene toma adoke wadepo bayo tegantai badanipa.
©Kipa Huabe En: This kind of butterfly lives in the forest near Bameno and is commonly seen throughout the year.
Waotededo: Mani tegantaidi yekene Bameno omede, edonganke ingampa toma wadepo a bye.
©Gomo Ñama En: At the edge of the lagoon near Bameno, many small plants like this fern grow on large, decaying tree trunks.
Waotededo: Gawape wedeka ñene awemo wente wa woboga, nangi giiya aweidi pedanipa ébano mani toyoba pebai.
©Yatewue Baihua Tega En: On a hike through the forest along the path to the lagoon near Bameno, there are very interesting shapes, like this snakelike seedling.
Waotededo: Adoke tadonke gawapaa godo toma badontebai tente bainani abaimipa.
©Kipa Huabe En: On sunny days in the community of Bameno, these butterflies, or tegantai in Wao Terero, come to lick the salt in the clay soil.
Waotededo: Maninani tegantaidi yekene oñipoiya katipe bedani inanipa nenki nangi nawayede.
©Omekiri Yate En: This often hard-to-find tree, with its textured bark, is located in the forest on the bank of Conanaco River near Bameno.
Waotededo: Bameno epe yewedeka awe wee womonte ongowempa omede.
©Yatewue Baihua Tega En: As tradition in the Waorani culture, families travel by canoe when the water level rises on Cononaco River, which runs past Bameno.
Waotededo: Bameno epe emema wipodenke gobaimipa kowe nani gote kewemai.
©Nenkerey Toga En: The airstrip in the community of Bameno is wet from constant rain.
Waotededo: Bameno nani owoyomo eboweimanka gañe impa koneke omede oponte beye.
©Panenky Kaiga Miipo En: The leaf of the plant used to make Panama Hats and chambira palm fiber are traditional natural components of the Waorani culture. These components serve many purposes in Bameno, such as roofing material and thread for making handicrafts.
Waotededo: Mooñabo tono one yekene nani waodani neente kewe impa tomenani ke, wa wa go eene eene nani bado.
©Miipo Quemperi En: Many Waorani people fish in the streams near their homes for paiche, an important species for the families Bameno.
Waotededo: Bakodani iyomo kewenani odonanipa tomenani keweñomo painche kengi bee bameno tomanani.
©Miipo Quemperi En: This spider makes its web in the forest next to a small stream near the community of Bameno.
Waotededo: Mani bokaya tomenga bokayameko ñangampa Bameno nani owoyomo obote, weda ompade wedo.
©Boya Tega En: The yellow-footed tortoise is very common in the Yasuní forest. This turtle is on the bank of Cononaco River near Bameno attempting to cross, but the river is too high for it to do so.
Waotededo: Omaaka Enketa tomanani aka yasuní ome kewenga, nani enketa bamenonga onowedeka ongogampa emema taokete ante inkete inepe yekene kone nangi kete epe nangi tao ï ébano kete taokinga.
©Nenkerey Toga En: Red macaw parrots perch on the roof of Meñewe's house in the community of Bameno in Yasuní.
Waotededo: Obatawe Eweidi meñewa onkomanka po pentadinani, Bameno nani owoyomo, Yasuní ome.
©Nenkerey Toga En: On a hill near the community of Bameno, the entire airstrip and many of the houses in the community that sit on the riverbank are visible.
Waotededo: Bameno nani owoyomo anakidi ne goge toma eboweimankaaki tono bako okonko menoi ongo bameno onowek ongo.
©Nenkerey Toga En: Near the airstrip in the community of Bameno, the color of the clouds draws attention to the sun as it sets over the jungle canopy.
Waotededo: Ebaweon mamka obote bameno nai owoyomo aweneka eidinke gawadike bayede bogima wado, pemonte bai bate ai ai gogempa.
©Panenky Kaiga Miipo En: Menkerey and Wene harvest cassava root on their farm plot near the airstrip in Bameno community. Cassava root is used to make chicha, a traditional Waorani drink.
Waotededo: Nenkerey tono wene gogadapa kene wogadapa ebowen manka yewede, kene yekene kei apoki beye ante impa.
©Nenkerey Toga En: A baby woolly monkey sits in the doorway of Kipa's house in the Bameno community. The baby monkey plays with Kipa's children.
Waotededo: Gata wenga odemo kipa onko ongogampa bameno kipa wenani tono opokete ante.
©Nenkerey Toga En: From the doorway of Kipa's house in Bameno, the houses on the other side of the airstrip are visible, surrounded by the forest.
Waotededo: Odemo kipa onko ino abaimipa emate ino eboweimanka nani bameno keweñomo.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: Otobo and Ciaga Baihua teach their children how to aim while hunting birds using a traditional Waorani blowgun in the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Otobo tono Caiga nanowenani inanite odomonapa, ébano kowemä kekï ï, ayamoidi inanite mankadoki ante omenanka, boanamo nani owoyomo.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: Otobo and Ciaga Baihua teach their children how to aim while hunting birds using a traditional Waorani blowgun in the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Otobo tono Caiga nanowenani inanite odomonapa, ébano kowemä kekï ï, ayamoidi inanite mankadoki ante omenanka, boanamo nani owoyomo.
©Taremo Tokari En: Near Boanamo on Cononaco River, a medium-sized crocodile sits on the bank of the river, where he was probably looking for a frog or toad to eat.
Waotededo: Boanamo obote, cononaco ononga wedä Noma onowedeka oño adanimpa, wekemo tono kotaye ate kenkete ante.
©Ewene Ima En: A pair of macaws sits in a tree above the jungle canopy at a lagoon near the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Omede eibe awemo neka Eweidi contadanipa, gawapeno, nani owoyomo Boanamo obote.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: A wild pineapple is ripe and ready to eat near a salt lick located along Cononaco River.
Waotededo: Adoke omede ganbo bëgade ï ongopa, onkamone obote Cononako ononga iñomo.
©Ewene Ima En: The surface of the water of a lagoon near the community of Boanamo shows the reflection of the trees around the lagoon.
Waotededo: Gawape epe boanamo nani owoyomo obote, gane badope yewede aweidi edonke epeno gongenanipa.
©Taremo Tokari En: Natural sandpaper (yowome) found in Yasuní, near the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Cowe omede yowemeñabo Yasuní adi Boanamo nani owoyomo obote.
©Caiga Baihua En: Maweta is the name of the foam that forms when the water in a creek is very low and plant material accumulates around the edges. The photo shows the foam in a swirl that has formed in a ravine next to a salt lick near the community of Boanamo along Cononaco River.
Waotededo: Maweta yekene, ompade epe ada weiyonga yewede goimo awenay wokene impa. Mani aweninta, odomompa tome mawete, wini wini keyomo ompadike, onkamone obote Bameno nani owoyomo Cononaco ononga.
©Caiga Baihua En: The salt licks (onkamone in Wao Tededo) of Boanamo are six kilometers from the community, close to River Cononaco.
Waotededo: Bameno onkamo onkamo ongompa 6 km nani owoyomo ne gong ego cononaco ononga obote.
©Ewene Ima En: The South American common toad (rhinella margaritifera) is hidden on the ground, camouflaged to appear like leaves of the forest near Boanamo.
Waotededo: Aïnga Weke sudamericano (rhinella margaritifera) we womonte ongogampa omede eñepio bai ï oñabo köde Boanamo obote.
©Otobo Baihua En: A harpy eagle is looking for food on the shore of Boanamo community.
Waotededo: Adoke gigamowe kengi ante mimpa Boanamo onoweka.
©Ewene Ima En: An anhinga (anhinga anhinga) sits on the branches of a fallen tree in Cononaco River close to the Waorani community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Adoke “Epegide” (Anhinga) te contapa yepentoga awe tei gïte owoyoma Cononako ononga waodani owoyomo Boanamo obote.
©Taremo Tokari En: Caiga Baihua of Boanamo shows visitors how the Waorani spend the night in dry places that are safe to sleep when they go on hunting expeditions.
Waotededo: Caiga Baihua odomongampa ébano waodani omede onke goyede wemo bayedenawanga wa iñomo tono nawe iñomo ate gongenanipa monkete ante.
©Caiga Baihua En: In the morning, the sun shines brightly through the clouds above the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Bamenke nenke tamoñede öne bogimamo we emoñede nani boanamo owoyomo.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: Orewa, Taremo and Apii paddle in a canoe to go bathing in Cononaco River near Boanamo, as is customary after work.
Waotededo: Odewa, Tademo tono Apii tawenanipa wipode wiyate pantakete ante kowe nani kebai ïnke ome kete tapote Boanamo ononga.
©Dogaka Baihua En: Api, a Waorani child from Boanamo community, is happy to be photographed.
Waotededo: Api, wao wiñenga Bameno owoka tote ingampa tomenga ingante ébano awenenani ante ate.
©Otobo Baihua En: Ongai, a flower that has the shape of a happy face, can be found along the trails near Boanamo.
Waotededo: Ongai. Tote emonte ongonga bai emonte ongo Boanamo tado godo.
©Taremo Tokari En: Waorani children play with their siblings, who are buried in dried leaves to surprise anyone passing by in Boanamo.
Waotededo: Wiñenani okiyenani ongiñenani oñabokade wamonte ompodani inanipa ekame po goyodani bamo wedani tokï ante.
©Dogaka Baihua En: According to Waorani beliefs, it is necessary to collect the fruit of the palm tree used to makes arrows (called nampa in Wao Tededo) to improve respiration.
Waotededo: Waodani ante apenete keweno bai yekene wa impa gaibamo tomemo ente beyaki waponi impa wa og gemankete ante nampa nani ompa winga.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: Otobo and Ciaga Baihua teach their children how to aim while hunting birds using a traditional Waorani blowgun in the community of Boanamo.
Waotededo: Otobo tono Caiga nanowenani inanite odomonapa, ébano kowemä kekï ï, ayamoidi inanite mankadoki ante omenanka, boanamo nani owoyomo.
©Taremo Tokari En: Meñemo sits in a hammock thinking about how to clean her home in Boanamo.
Waotededo: Meñemo ñowode owodinke omepo ñomegimo ante ponewokampa nano kiwiñomo.
©Otobo Baihua En: Oboyenka, or wild coconut, is the fruit of a palm that is collected form the forest near Boanamo to eat.
Waotededo: Obogenka ome omakabo, omakawe tomemo nani ee kenkete ante.
©Otobo Baihua En: The clouds, or bogima in Wao Tededo, at dusk change to brilliant colors that attract attention and give Boanamo community a sense of peace.
Waotededo: Bogimanko, gawadike bayede pemonte bai bamompa, watape kiwingi ante odomompa.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: Children look for a domesticated boa snake (obe) to try and touch it in the Boanamo community.
Waotededo: Wiñenani adanipa bedonga “obe” (boa) ingante, tao kete akete ante nani boanamo owoyomo.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: A boy and a girl leave their home to bathe in Cononaco River.
Waotededo: Wiñena ongiñenga tono okiyenga wodi tadapa boanamo ononga pantakete ante.
©Luciana Teweyene Ñama En: A sloth climbs a vine a few kilometers from Boanamo.
Waotededo: Enkada, omea eikete ante kekampa Boanamo negongue go 2 km iñomo.

Bameno Stories

Meñemo y Kemperi

Kipa Huabe y Yatewe Baihua

In the community of Bameno, the elder Meñemo leaves around 10 in the morning to collect firewood in the jungle. Sometimes plants and vines block the path and she has to clear the way so it is no longer dangerous to walk. Whenever she goes into the jungle, she has to secure her home so animals like monkeys and dogs cannot enter the house to consume her food and chicha (traditional fermented drink made from cassava root). Meñemo collects firewood with which she will dry wooden arrows that will dipped in poison called curare (oome). The poison arrows are used to hunt birds and monkeys in trees. She cuts the wood to a certain size and takes enough home dry arrows. When carrying the firewood, Meñemo has a look of sadness because now she is older and cannot carry much wood.

Upon preparing the fire to dry the arrows, the arrows are light in color to begin with, but as the wood from the forest burns, it gives the arrows a chocolate color before turning black. The arrows must have this black color so animals won’t notice the arrow or the hunter. Meñemo has to constantly rotate the arrows over the fire so the dark chocolate color is uniform throughout. Once the arrows are completely black, Meñemo stores the arrows in a quiver (ontoca) while her husband Kemperi prepares the curare (oome).

Kemperi filters the curare through a bound bunch of leaves that are typically known for their use in the process of making Panama hats. He has to fill the water carefully to avoid spilling the poison and accurately measure the poison to filter the curare properly. This is to prevent the poison from becoming watered down. The leaves hold the vine well to help with the filtering process by ensuring that no water or poison is spilled in the process. Kemperi must always be aware of the flow of curare so it does not come out too thick or too diluted. The filtering process takes about two hours. Once the container is full, the arrow tips are dipped in the poison and the arrows are ready to use for hunting.