An absolute highlight in the Amazon is the culture. Very few places in the world still conserve traditional indigenous communities. In the Colombian Amazon some of these cultures are very much alive. The livelihood of these cultures is based on daily fishing, hunting, and the many cultivations from the ‘chagras’. Some of them with a high level of traditional ancestral culture, where the ‘Payes’ give form to the spiritual world. These traditional leaders are probably the most important part of the existing communities in the region. It’s them who, from their malokas, and through praying, ceremonies around the ecological calander, and the knowledge of nature, protect the communities from diseases, and ensure that there is enough food every year.
In the Amazon you can find ‘arte rupestre’. These rock art, paintings of former indigenous cultures, are definitely a cultural highlight. The best place to see these paintings, and the easiest to access, is San José del Guaviare, although similar paintings can be found throughout the Amazon.
Interacting with the indigenous cultures in the Amazon is another highlight when it comes to culture. It will not only be a unique experience, it will probably also be a learning process of your daily life, about what is important, and that not all is materialism. You will be able to reconnect with Mother Nature.
