Amazonia

The photogalery you may visit here

 Since 2007 Miroslav Dorazil, specialist of our company took part in a study intership at State  Amazon University (Universidad Estatal Amazónica) in the city Puyo, province Pastaza in ecuador Amazon. AS a competent referee he gave lectures to students of field  Agroindustrial subject biochemistry and carried laboratorial exercies. Besides pedagogical duties he participated in work of a research group under leadership of Manuel Almeida Saavedrya (Universidad Granma, Cuba). The task of this group was prime mapping of usage of medicinal plants by aboriginal communities, their botanical classification, studies and izolation of active substances and proposal of preparation of simple herb medicaments. Members of the group were also Marta Allessandrini Díaz (Universidad Pinar del Rio, Cuba) and Idelfonso Castañeda Noa (Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de las Villas, Cuba). Their work often included trips to forest communities, contacts and talks with many witch-doctors of all Indian tribes living in the province Pastaza and several air routes into deep, lowland, primary rain forest. Lectures for aboriginal communities about medical plants and practical teaching of preparation of simple drug forms (sirup, smear, tincture etc) were its part as well. He met here other czech researchers, Mr. Miroslav Šebela („Moravské Zemské Muzeum“ – Moravian Municipal Museum) and Mr. Antonín Prouza („Jihočeská Univerzita České Budějovice“ – South Czech University České Budejovice) who came into the  province Pastaza in spring 2007 to continue in mapping of rich local fauna.
After fulfiling duties and finishing academic semester he met his czech colleagues and they went together into Peruvian rain forest on visit of plantations where the company  Oro Verde grow the medical plants.
We bring you from this way several interesting pictures. Province Pastaza is situated in the middle part of Ecuador, and on southern banks of Andes it declines into Amazon up to the border with Peru. As an independent province it was declared 22. october 1959. It is on the area of 26.088 km2, with 62.110 inhabitants. Official language is spanish, currency unit has been since the collapse of its own currency in 1999 (Sucre) the american dollar (usd). The capital is Puyo, founded 25. november 1920 by colonizer Alvar Valladares, with 25.362 inhabitants in the cities. Province is further divided into 4 cantons, that are Mera and Santa Clara on the west and Arajuno and Pastaza on east, and further into 4 city and 16 country districts (parroquia*) exactly parishes). Province borders on west with province Tungurahua, on the north with province Napo (border river Rio Cononaco), and furher with province Francesco de Orellana, on south-west and south wiht province Morona Santiago, eastern border is with Peru. see the map
Most part of population in  province Pastaza are Indians from culture Quechua, except of them there are also people of culture Andoa, Achuar, Shiwiar, Shuar, Waorani and Zapara, but surely you will find here stray individuals from other tribes, especially then Secoya and Tucan who came from north. The rest are mestizos, white-men (descendands of colonizer), the blacks (from province Esmeraldas). Locality in canton Mera with the name Morava is also interesting, the name is after a colonist of czech origin Mr. Kubeš, you will find here also tracks of German colonists, in pizza parlour in Puyo we were once served by a Russian, the owners of another pizza parlour are an American and Italian - matched into a family. From ethnobotanical point of view, the presence of french ethnobotanist Didier Lacaz with who we made very good friends, is also interesting. This interesting man lived 15 years before in south-peruvian Amazon, where he published several books on the topic of medical herbs.
Province Pastaza can be called  from one side as a poorly developed (you will not find here a supermarket) and from the second side as "Paradise on the Earth" especially thanks to very bad transport accessibility. Just 5 years ago a network of tunnels was made, connecting the province on quality road with the world – with summer resort Baños in province Tungurahua on the west. Another accessibility is only via bad roads from the north from province Napo (town Tena) or from the south from province Morona Santiago (town Macas). Not far from the capital Puyo in Mera there is an airport with sufficient link capacity also for big transport airplanes but nothing flies there. Thanks to this relative isolation the province Pastaza preserved not only very pure and species-rich flora and fauna but also peaceful provincial character. (When leaving to work in the morning I used to leave the windows open and nothing get lost...). The airport is called Shell, in memory of its founders, oil concern that built the airport.
Universidad Estatal Amazónica was founded in 2004 as the first civil university guaranteeing good-quality education. In the present time there are open four study specializations providing complete academic education finished by the state exam and obtaining the title ,,engineer,, There are: Agronomy (Agropecuaria), Processing of agriculture products (Agroindustrial), Protecting of environment (Ambiental) and Economy and popular tourism (Turismo). Relating to the present lack of academic employees the university ensures the personal casting mainly on the basis of intergovernmental agreements with Cuba, some qualified pedagogues commute from distant, mainly hilly provinces. By the complicated ways of destiny and then mainly with the view of possibility for cooperation with the Horticultural faculty of Mendelovova´s agriculture and forestry faculty the place was offered also for me. Here you can find more information about the University.
Due to to youths of the university and the absence of complete conception of research programme it was necessary to begin to realize it from complete beginning. But the working group has got for disposal a big experience of Cuba colleges from previous cross-country researches in Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and for the enthusiasm and also certainty of the -University members Justas’ support. The main objects were identified and work could begin. It yielded the prime research in the cross-country, healers and witchdoctors and experts of healing plants from individual communities. Some of them shared their experience readily, some of them less, but surely every drive way on the Indian territory was necessary to announce in advance to elder council and ask them for their agreement. For this we had the contract with the Organization of the Indian communities, but the bureaucracy is one thing and the reality is the second one so the most certain was my friendship with the local teacher and guide of tourists Augusto Freire who does not only work  in the distant Indian areas as the teacher and has the best conditions for guiding, his brother was the secretary on the council house so it was a little bit like protection but mostly Augusto himself knew many of the healing plants and due to his knowledge of several Indian languages it was possible to compare the using of individual tribes and also to class them botanically. A big help was also familiarization with the pilgrim of Czech (Czech-Croatian) origin Vlasta Kleparnik who is a big enthusiast and picker of all from primeval forest, snakes and spiders beginning, Indian girls finishing. Vlasta is also a great sculptor, ceramic and in one word a great friend. He gladly borrowed us not only his new Land Rover but mainly his experience, knowledge and contacts. Though his Czech language was a little bit funny, sometimes it sounded like the paradise music. The first longer trip was managed by the Spanish fellow Rodrigo Martinez Novo from Universidad Politecnica de Valencia and with his help and his quechuan girlfriend Norma we could remain in the community Pavacachi of her grandfather on the river Rio Curaray. The way amounted 45 minutes of flying by Cessna into the colony San José de Curaray and two days traveling with the boat on the river. Grandfather Don Roberto is well known authority of healing plants and unlike other Indians of Quechua culture he gladly shared his knowledge and enabled to ,,put the base stone,, of herbarium and collection of University. We also visited marine community Lorocachi and natural area Nina Amarun where Indians devote their time to cultivation of healing plants.
Subsequent way in the colony Waorani (1,2 hours of flying on Rio Cononaco) did not bring so much information, Waoranis were very friendly to us but beside the effective antidote against poisonous snake bite they did not know too much about healing plants. Guide Augusto informed us about this in advance, on the other side meeting the tribe of warriors who are till nowadays mostly naked, not just for the objectives of tourist photos, was a strong and unforgettable experience. On the way in the primeval forest Augusto showed us many plants and also from this the University collection noted a rich increase.
The last fly travel was a trip to achuar colonies of Pucayacs and Motalvos more south on the river Rio Bobonaza. By the underground ways we visited few witch-doctors from the tribe  Shuar (till nowadays they make from the peoples heads ,,tsantsa,, - desiccated heads) , thanks to August we made friendship mainly with Don Felipe Wampasch who as the only one enabled us to make a photo with him (not after short persuading). Generally the witch-doctors do not want to be photographed because they believe that with the photo you take them their soul.
A big contribution was repeated meeting with the shuar witch-doctor and healer Antonio Sándu Andrise who by his own run published the copy Guia de plantas medicinales y su uso. There are several interesting things on shuares. Firstly this culture never recognized unlike other Indians the rheumatic or arthritic problems. We can explain this fact in few ways: Shuars periodically drink a concoction from the herb Huayusa (Ilex guayusa), mainly in the full moon. The second explanation could be the periodical and very often consumption of ayahuaska (Banisteriopsis caapi). Ayahuaska is used almost for everything: for solving of daily questions, divination in the future, for important decisions, they also give it to children something like dummy soaked in the slivovitz or concoction from finials.
The question of tsantsa preparation – desiccated peoples´ heads is a little bit delicious, I met personally about 100 years old head from missioner, exposed in the museum beside the town hall in Puy. Unfortunately the guide girl was very beautiful and firm and I could not change and negotiate the photographing prohibition. However the truth is that in the time of my stay, the police investigated buying of six peoples heads in Palora comunnity (about 35 km from Puyo). Whether the police investigated something or not was not mentioned in TV and I do not accept gossips. For an interested person about this unusual process I can recommend book from Peruvian ayahuasker, if you like biography about him with the title "Amazon Magic - The Life of Ayahuasquero and Shaman Don Agustin Rivas Vasquez" from Jaja Bear.
The description is very detailed and even provokes how to save, wooden cork to ears and eyes is possible to use repeatedly. The problem could be to ensure the material..
After breaking the primary unbelief everything went better and during three months we almost did not have problem to visit any of witch-doctors who seemed to us interesting. I have to say that some of the witch-doctors are more likely only attraction for tourists because beside the agriculture, the tourism is (even although it is mostly domestic) essential income for local people. Interesting was also making relations with the Achuar´s culture, Achuars are allowed to have untill nowadays two women. How they solve it in front of ,,our civilization laws,, or how to become Achuar I could not find out. The overland traveling we mainly passed with a rented car from the owner Licoreria Puyo (its micro-bus Toyota perhaps has to be with wheel frame from Hummer) or for the kind assistance of Vlasta Klepatnik who probably has a girlfriend in every village, subsequently where the road finished, on foot in the primeval forest. 
The visit of community Hola Vida (Hello life) was very interesting, on the way we met aproximately a 3 meters long green snake, sun-bathing on the road. All the Indians described us with panics how much it is poisonous, after consultation with Augusto (he was twice biten by dangerous snake) we concluded that it was an usual grass-snake. The aborigines are probably scared of snakes more than the Europeans. Maybe because they know what a snake’s poison can do. The exception is possibly only a very beautiful, young chief Jenny from the hotel Alto Pastaza, deeply in primeval forest but with every day connection by bus on the dusty road. On my question when I saw her going barefoot on hot stones ,,You do not have here any snakes?,, she reacted with calm and high hand ,,You would wonder how many snakes are here. But I got used….Our good friend and a travelling agency owner (if you can call it like this) breaded anacondas, his name is Luis "Lucho" Núñez. He just founded the snake one day in the garden from Augusto and took him home. (All the story was slightly more dramatical because on that time the snake was uncoatting his skin and looked more like a poisonous kind of rattlesnake than like anaconda). He called the snake Madonna and everywhere he talks that it is very gentle, who knows? Not wanting to to promote or give advice but if you are planning to visit the Ecuador rain forest, Augusto and Lucho are one of the best choice how to see a lot of interesting things and also survive relatively without any injury. For every case I attach hypertext for their web presentation here.
Subsequently we chose which natural medicine (against which diseases) will be the subject of our concern, with coordination of medical counsel of province, with kind help of cheerful ethnobotanic Ximena Buitrón from organization Traffic Sur and not in last line consultations with Didier Lacaze. Relating to perfect information equipment (books, monographies, internet databases) we could avoid primary seeking and isolation of effective substances (of course for this the University laboratories were not conducted enough) and we could launch into processing of simple medical forms which we fairly ,,on the knee,, taught how to prepare the assistants of Indian communities. The two days tour into the community of Chimborazo province, placed on the foothill volcano Chimborazo, about 3500 meters above sea level was also an interesting moment. Every step in this altitude caused me serious problems and the look on Indians, playing football, consternated me very much. But my own acceptation in the family of my inviter Olmedo Sugundo nevertheless compensated all the suffering multiplied by night temperatures reaching 0 degree. And the sirup we prepared from eucalyptus leaves in terms of lastly practical exercises was very tasty. We worked with ,,known,, herbs, except of others, with guajava (Psidium guajaba L.), achiote (Bixa orellana L.), yuka or maniok (Manihot esculenta Crantz.), ayahuaska (Banisteriopsis caapi Spruce), harmala (Peganum harmala L.), naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.), uña de gato (Uncaria tomentosa Willd.), achochilla (Mommordica charantia L.), chancapiedra (Phyllnthus niruri L.), marco sacha (Ambrosia arborescens), yahuar piripiri (Eleutherina bulbosa) paki panga (Kalanchoe pinnata), escanela (Iresine diffusa), herbaluisa (Cymbopogon citratus) and paico (Chenopodium ambrosoides). We found many new, ,,unknown,, plants which some of them are waiting for botanical determination. Interesting could be the plant dulcamara (Kalanchoe gastonis-bonieri) which looks like promising medicine against cancer and chronicle diseases.
It is interesting that this plant does not have the origin in South America because it was imported here in the 17th or 18th century. As I am not authorized to present the work of whole group I will not mention all the others. Beside these activities the group settled to the possibilities of using the natural sources as herbicides and pesticides because the agriculture production is the main income of local people in the province. I tried to explain to members of University junta that rotenone isolation from barbasca (Lonchocarpus utilis) is not the best kind of ecological solution. But the marketing rules in sense of result whatever it costs and dead horse unfortunately reached also on such forgotten-by- God places. Subsequently I flew to calm my nerves to Easter Island because the students had a production practice and I could realize my life dream .
One of the most interesting  working themes was Dider Lacaze´s project supported by the Ecuador´s Ministry of health, about introduction of Chinese plant Artemisia anuum  as a promising anti-malarial drug. After many years of using it appeared that some tribes of Plasmodiums are immune against well-tried quinine resistant and malaria is beside amebial infection one of the most frequented causes of dead. The plant has alredy been introduced into the conditions of Africa where they isolate active substances and use them as a successful antimalarial drug. Whole project is so huge that I did not have time for its realization but at least we changed our experience and I had reason to return back to Pastaza province. Didier is beside everlasting studies of plants a proficient producer of tea, tinctures and smeares made from plants. We try to accredit some of them for the European Union and import them. Just in case I attach here hypertext of his presentation.
Meeting with two Czech biologists, Mirek Šebela and Toníček Prouza, oldest and experienced tirailleurs in tropical rain forest in the whole South America, is worth mentioning. These two big fanciers always vanished deeply in the forest equipped by many amplullaes, boxes, nets and everything necessary to pick everything that can move. Motive of their journey was trying to identify till nowadays unknown kind of bird which they saw during projection of movie from the last journey. By their objective was nothing easier than the most distance and at least settled region of east Pastaza close to borders with Peru. The method of catching of butterflies, moths and everything flying was very interesting. They sat anywhere ( they liked the bridge over Rio Pastaza the most) in the deep night and craned forward sheet behind the light source. The light attracted flying insect and friends had entomological harvest. But with their decision to catch a hardly poisonous coral snake by the help of two branches and transport it into an empty bottle from water, just for the reason that they do not have a snake in their collection I could not identify. Equipped with sleeping bags in hanging nets with mosquito nets they simply vanished one day and within 14 days returned back. They do not hide their Czech origin and the waiter in Mera pension was loosing his strength during serving us and bringing  beer, the last two nights before flying home. Following day it almost happened that a plane they ordered, flew without them, then it had a breakdown, days running, maňana… Time was running like water at the University, all my students successfully passed final exam, most of them with maximum points, I do not know if they were so good or if I was so mild but in every case they learnt something. Farewell party was positive and also a sad fullstop after this chapter.
Marta Alessandrinin Díaz wrote small monographic publication about the work of the group with our modest contribution. You can read the brochure in Spanish in pdf format here.
Subsequently, two Czech colleagues from the firm joined me and after two weeks  of familiarization with Ecuador (during this short time I could show them just a fragment of the country beauties), we launched out through Columbia to Peru. After welcoming with the friends in the capital of Lima, paying the necessary politeness and visits, we went to see some elemental ethnobotanical  collections and herbariums in the mountains (Cuzco, Juliaca) and after a short rest, accompanied by our Peruvian fellow Cesar Barriga, headed to the rain forest. Firstly we visited haciendas where we grow the nosegays like uña de gato (Uncaria tomentosa Willd.), sangre de drago (Croton lechleri Muell. Arg.), jergón sacha (Dracontium loretense Engl.), chancapiedra (Phyllanthus niruri L.) that are situated in the Rio Ucapali area in the Indian community Shipibo-Conibo in the prosaically named locality of Vista alegre, thus Joyful view. The place is really worth such a name. Upon our several-day stay including mainly communication with the local producers and visual inspection of the haciendas, by boat we returned into the provincial capital of Pucallpa, where we were carefully listening to the valuable advice of the local doctors and healers and visited Universidad Nacional de Ucayali as well. After visiting the local botanical gardens we moved to Amazonian center Iquitos, the multicultural city, which is together with Brazilian Manaos well known also thanks too boom of rubber and barbaska in the first half of the last century. Overthere, as a high spot we have got the warmest welcome and most valuable advice. Beside the visit of the medicine man and ayahuasker Don Pedro Guerra Gonzáles in Tamshiyacu and also seeing the Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, we were welcomed in EsSalud by the doctor and our friend Roberto Inchásteguí Gonzáles who surely belongs between the pioneers of herbs using on treatment of AIDS, cancer and other civilization diseases. In the peaceful quier corners of the beautiful botanical gardens we had enough time for getting to know new plant species and absorbing the basic information about what herbs are useful to treat different diseases. Meeting with young pharmacy students who perhaps spend more time here than in the laboratories was very friendly as well. It was unthinkable not to visit far-famed markets in the Belém quarter, where except of common groceries, you can find also perhaps all medical plants and unguents for each of maladies of this world and lots of other interesting things. For example one market woman was offering me a head of anaconda but I like this snakes and moreover, what would the conservationists think of that? On the boat, we saw also laguna with the nosegay Victoria regia, of course without wallets, watches and accompanied by our strong local friends. Laguna is in one of the true slum colonies. The cherry on a cake was our final stop-off in the emeralds market in Columbian Bogota and the trip to volcano Cotopaxi (to 4.700 meters above sea level you can get by a car) and then yet again back to Europe. I personally missed the plane from Quito which I took as an omen not to return yet. Unfortunately 14 days from that I had a term of state exams in Lednice on Morava. At least I take as an omen that also in the future I will be a welcome visitor. After a few years, many young engineers in the province of Pastaza will say: “Biochemistry? Well, one Czech interested in nosegays has been teaching us that”. Any further evaluations I am going to leave up to them.

Conclusion?
Besides  of plenty of experience and information which we needed to absorb in relatively short time period, besides of lots of personal friendships I have brought from this beautiful place, there are two most important points for me: People of various nationalities, flesh-colours, cultures, languages and whatever else are able not just to communicate but also to understand each other if there is a mutual will and also that our work and its continuance has got a sense, as well as an active struggle for the salvation of the rain forests, not just as the lungs of the earth, but as well as the most amazing chemical and pharmaceutical factory ever seen.

Although I do not like dull-witted American style blabs, I consider it right to express here my thanks for the Ecuador stay to:

Artur Boffil from UEA (Cuba) – University coordinator
for the great human approaching, understanding and selfless friendship
Manuel Almeida Saavedra (Cuba) – Head of our workgroup, for the same
Marta Alessandini Díaz (Cuba) – my ungrudging colleague
for the same and also for cordial adoption that she accepted me with
Idelfonso Castañeda Noa (Cuba) – Friend and botanist
for the same and for the professional botanical assistance and his birds eye view
Collective of Cuban pedagogues
for deeply human approach and facilitation of my adaptation
Members of University junta UEA
for the possibility to experience all stated above
Augusto Freire – pursuivant and friend
for professional services, selfless friendship and his deep live philosophy
Ronaldo Luis Núñez - pursuivant and friend
for the same and for lending snake Madonna and 20 years old Landover
Don Rafico – owner of Licoreriea Puyo
besides that what is stated above also for lending a car with armoured undercart and the permanent good drinks supply
Vlasta Kleparnik – the youngest Czech originated retiree in the forest
for deep friendship, selfless help and everlasting fun
Didiero Lacaze – ethnobotanist
for friendship, facilitation of my project realization and participation on his projects
Ximena Buitrón – ethnobotanist
for lots of valuable advice, contacts and effectual assistance
Martita Vallejo – my longtime Ecuadorian friend
for plentiful help, long-lasting friendship and a very practical approach in solving my problems
Mirek Šeleba and Toníček Prouza – Czech biologists
for friendship, pleasant pastime at local beer and lots of valuable advice
Karel Vašut – Czech businessman in Guayaquil
for friendship and the mediation of contact with civilization, trips to the sea and chilled beer
Honza Brody – Czech almost retiree with a boy’s soul and 20 year history in Ecuador
for the fatherly approach and actually for arrangement of all the stay
Don Felipe Wampasch – medicine man from village of Pikirischka
for the introduction into the world of plants and animals spirits and the gentle interpretations of all the contexts
Students of the second year of agroindustrial department but also to all the others students of UEA
for subaudition with my Spanish and great cooperation
Sandra, Jenny, Genny, Jacquelin and all the pretty girls
for their smiles and kind approach
All the Indians
for their attitude towards me
Last but not least Chullachaquim – Head spirit and the forest protector