The 14 villages of the Jauaperi National Park are inhabited by the native Caboclos. What should we know about them?

First of all, it’s important not to confuse them with the indigenous people. The word Caboclo literally means “inhabitant of the forest” and it refers to a traditional population – typical of the rural areas of the Amazon – that survive thanks to fishing and subsistence farming. The Caboclos genetic heritage is a mix: partly indigenous, partly European, and partly African.

The inhabitants of the forest are the one and only custodians of local traditions, of natural resources, of the territory, and of all the riches that the forest offers and its limits.

Without their deep knowledge no ecotourism would be possible!

Pics by: ©Barry Cawston, ©Andrea Frazzetta, ©Sandro Santioli