Kane squatsontherain forestfloornexttoHarnan,hisguide.AframeofsticksrestsoverafirethatKanehasbuilt.Ontop,piranhasroastin thesmoke.Thesefisharefiercepredators.Butnow,they’relunchforKaneandhis team.
KaneisdeepintheAmazonrain forestintheMatsés (MAT-sess)NationalReserveinPeru.Milesawayfromanytownsorfarms,theMatséspeopleliveoffthegrid.Noelectricity.Noplumbing.Nocellphones.Justmilesofwaterwaysanddense jungle.
Kanetraveledthroughtherainforestfor twodaystoreachthisremotevillage.Hiscompanionswerehisfather—Paul Hameister—andphotographerDomFarrell.TheirlocalguideswereSergio; Harnan,chiefoftheMatséstribe;andHarnan’sfather, Armando.
KanewasonamissiontoliveliketheMatsés.Whatachallengeitwould be!
LiketheMatsés,Kanehadtomakemanyofthethingsheneededtosurvive.Natureprovidedallthebasicmaterials.Kanejusthadtolearnhowtousethem.Hisbasictoolwasakindofaknifecalledamachete.Heusedittochopdownwoodandhackintotoughrain forestvines.TheMatsésusemachetesformakingeverythingfromfirewoodtofishing rods.
Next,Kanelearnedthatifhewantedlunch,hewasgoingtohavetocatchorkillsomething.Hisguidestaughthimhowtomakeafishingrod.Kanecutasmall,thintreeoffatitsbase.Heburnedittostrengthenit.Thenhepeeledbackthebark.Thenheattachedsomefishinglineanda hook.Leftovermeatscrapswereusedasbait.Kanecaughtpiranhas,wolffish,andpeacockbass.Catchingthefishwasn’tenough,though.Nofire,nodinner.Kanealsohadtolearntochopupbarkforstartinga fire.
Kaneusesamachetetocutdownathintree. Withit,hecanmakeafishing rod.
Kane wassuccessfulasafisherman!
Kanelearnedotherlessonstoo.Hisguideshowedhimhowtomakeabridgefromafallenlogtocrossafast-movingcreek.Usinglongbranchesaspolesforbalance,Kaneslowlymadehisway across.
Theyreturnedtocampatdusk.Kanewastiredandwantedtogotobed.Butfirsthehadtobuildashelter.Hecuttwobigtreebranches,each withaYatthetop,anddugthemintotheground.AstrongbranchbetweenthetwoY’smadeanA-frameforatarp.Hetieddownthetarpedgeswithvines.Withpalmbranchesforthefloor,heplacedhissleepmatunderthe tarp.
MatsésNationalReserve
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
Peru
Venezuela
AtlanticOcean
PacificOcean
Amazonrain forest
Matsés NationalReserve