7 August
On the River

Villages along the River Madeira

As we travel along the River Madeira, we are constantly searching the riverbanks for villages. However, there aren't too many of them. We have stopped in six or seven villages so far to carry out medical, dental, and anthropological work.

The villages are built on top of the high bank as the Madeira has the 2nd largest seasonal variation in water levels of all the tributaries of the Amazon. In the months of April and May water levels are forty feet higher than in August and September.

The villages are invariably strung out along the bank and do not stretch inland. There are no cars or other vehicles, just a path along the front of the bank. Many of the houses are built on stilts to avoid being swept away during times of abnormal flooding. The population seems to consist mainly of women, children and dogs. There are usually enough men to produce a football (soccer) team, for however small a village is, it will invariably have a well-maintained football pitch. There are no shops, but a school and a church, which is ministered by a visiting priest.

Every village we have stopped at has welcomed the help given by our medical team.