Personal Narrative: My Obugla Society

I began my travels through the central Amazon forest after my first year of undergraduate studies in San Francisco. The stories that I heard about the isolated tribes of the Green Jungle both fascinated and compelled me to go. After I put my rebellious pug named Charlie after my favorite movie character at my mothers, I drove to the airport. I flew to the remote Brazilian city of Manaus in a two propeller and half operational turn of the century airplane. Once we landed, I met my fellow colleague Ignacio Del Barton, and we headed to the green inferno. After our truck could go no further into the green ravages that is called the lungs of the earth, we began to hike. The amazon is filled with life teeming in every corner and in every niche. Everything
Each home was filled with large amounts of Fulafu tree nuts and dried fish. Many of the families were composed of one female and multiple males who took care of the children. It would appear that Obugla society developed in a completely different way than western society. The Obugla slept on small straw mats that consisted of jaguar fur, and patches of dried fish skin. The Obugla hunted small game such as monkeys, jungle rabbits and other foot long rodents that roamed the jungle floors. They enjoyed the jungle life even with all of the hardships that it offered. When we asked if they wanted to come with us, they hesitated and only stayed in the mountaintop. They usually liked the mountains because there were less of the red flowers. When we inquired about them, they explained that the Gods sent the red flowers to destroy those who did not follow their commandments of respecting the jungle and the mother river. After further insight and discussion, we discovered that they were referring to the yearly jungle fires that happened during the dry season. I remembered hearing stories about the smallest spark destroying thousands of acres of land. The Obugla had considered this to be part of their religion and divine punishment for
They are interesting and perhaps the process of human social evolution in isolation. Their cultural norms and mores are based on what could be considered irrational thought. The Obugla tribe is one that follows strict traditionalism and tribalism. Obugla men don’t exhibit normal territorial pride or aggression as with other parts of the world. The women are more likely to be outspoken, and intrusive. The men are likely to be hidden and away from us. The most admirable attribute I noticed about the tribe is their utmost respect for the jungle. They understand that they depend on the jungle, and not the other way around. For every Fulafu tree that is cut to make the homes in which they live, they plant