The island of giant tidal waves and “Carimbo” dance.
What is this fantastic place, seeming to be at the mercy of competing tides, which at times bring fresh water at others, saline; tides whose rise and fall are so great, that sometimes it seems that the water will disappear altogether, at others, totally inundate the island? Here the reflections of the hallucinating sun’s rays give the beaches and the sea the appearance of an evaporating, transparent lake. This is a place where the colours of the landscape may at times be sharp and well defined or at others blend and merge into an iridescent backdrop. They vary from the intense orange of dawn and dusk over the golden beaches, to the turquoise blue of the sky on a sunny day, or to the dark green of the vegetation along the coastline. This is where, a few moments before sunrise, life explodes into action with the dawn chorus of millions of birds. But it is also here that within moments, black heavy clouds can change the landscape into something oppressive and sinister, cyclonic tempests, torrential rains, driven by ferocious tropical winds, giving the impression that Armageddon is upon us, God has come to Earth to settle accounts, showing no inclination to call an armistice.
There are few places in the world where the forces of nature and ongoing evolution can so clearly be seen, but Marajo Island, the largest fluvial region in the world, is one of them. The island was formed near the Atlantic coast by the deposits of sand and soil gathered and laid down by the mighty Amazon River, the longest river on our planet, that flows 6850km from its source in Lago Lauricocha in the Peruvian Andes to the Atlantic Ocean.
To visit Marajo Island is truly something special and aboard the Atakan III, eco tourists may cruise around the island, experiencing the wondrous biodiversity of the region. The itinerary will introduce you to the rich Amazon habitat, give you a chance to mix with the local people, experiment the most authentic Brazilian culinary, listen to the local folk lore, myths and legends, which all combine to make you aware of the delicate balance between nature and the local culture. The spirit of this island universe is captured by the “Carimbo” sensual dance and of course the immense tidal wave known as “Pororoca” tidal bore, which can reach heights of 3m.and speeds of up to 30km per hour. The bore occurs when the incoming Atlantic tides meet and reverse the out flowing Amazon River waters.
The Water Buffalo, which are the postcard symbol of the island, arrived there accidentally. It is told that at the beginning of the twentieth century, a ship carrying Water Buffalo to the Guianas sunk, but the surviving buffalo managed to reach the coastline, and there, readily adapted to the region. Indeed, adaptability is the secret of success on Marajo, as illustrated by the local copper skinned Indians. When they are uncertain of the division between land and water, they ride on the backs of the immensely powerful, but docile Water Buffalo. During the dry season, the Indians use Marajo horses, or for longer journeys, they travel aboard one of the “navio-gaiola” boats, whose crowded decks are crisscrossed with brightly coloured hammocks. For six months of the year, they are fishermen, the other six months, herdsmen and hunters. Were this island of Marajo not so strongly tied to the harsh realities of the real world, it might well drift into the shadows of the supernatural, so powerful is the pull of innumerable myths, beliefs, and divinities, which include “Iara”, mother of the waters, the Dolphin known locally as “Don Juan fluvial”, and “Cobra Grande”, (Giant Anaconda).
The traveller who enters this changing world will experience constant adventure and will return home re-vitalised.