Skindigenous

(theme music) -(narrator): Colombia is a South American country that is home to more than 80 different indigenous cultures.

In the Southern tip of the country is a city called Leticia.

Leticia is surrounded by the Amazon forest and is often used as a gateway to reach some of these indigenous groups.

Pablo is a member of the Huitoto tribe and has spent many years preserving his ancestral traditions.

Those traditions include food preparation, textiles, hunting and fishing, dancing, singing and body painting.

-(narrator): This morning, Pablo is gathering the fruit of the Huito tree.

They use it to make a paint to decorate their bodies for special occasions and ceremonies.

(rattling) (birds chirping) -(narrator): The next steps in the preparation of the Huito paint will happen in the maloca in Pablo's back yard.

A maloca is an ancestral long house often used for cultural events.

(blowing) -(narrator): The Huitotos and other indigenous groups have been painting themselves for hundreds of years.

The designs and reasons for the markings vary from tribe to tribe and in the case of the Huitotos, they're used at ceremonies and celebrations that happen a few times a year.

Later this week, there will be an important traditional dance celebration, called Yadiko, at a maloca in the forest.

Today, in preparation for that celebration, Pablo will be painting a friend with the Huito juice, to make temporary markings.

These markings are made for beautification and protection.

The deceivingly clear juice takes about 10 hours to appear as dark blue markings on the skin.

The markings don't wash off, but they do eventually fade away.

They can stay visible for up to two weeks.

Most of the designs painted are related to parts of the forest and nature, and in this case, Pablo is painting designs related to the anaconda, a giant snake of the Amazon forest.

That's the theme animal of the upcoming celebration.

(rattling) (upbeat music) This morning, Pablo and his sister Flor are going fishing on the mighty Amazon River.

They hope to catch some fish to offer as a gift at the upcoming celebration.

-(narrator): They didn't catch anything today, but they'll be able to buy fish before the celebration tomorrow.

(singing in native language) (men singing in native language) This evening, some people have gathered at Pablo and Flor's maloca.

They're practising traditional songs and dances.

(singing) (singing and rattling) (The singing continues.)

(birds chirping) -(narrator): Pablo is in his family's forest garden, called a chagra.

Chagras are important to every Huitoto family, and this morning Pablo's going to pick coca leaves.

With those coca leaves, he will make mambe, a traditional stimulant that has been used by various indigenous cultures in this region for millennia.

-(narrator): Pablo also gathers dried leaves from the Yarumo tree, which will be burned and then mixed with the mambe.

(whirring) Learning to prepare mambe is a point of cultural pride for younger Huitoto men.

Once they know how to do it properly, they are deemed by the elders to be worthy of maintaining the tradition.

(upbeat music) (crackling) Once the Yarumo ashes and the dried coca leaves have been ground together into dust, they are placed in a sifting bag to collect the finest powder.

(rooster crowing) Then, it's finally time for a sample.

It's also important to give some to an elder, so they can assess the quality.

(inaudible conversation) (background conversation) (creaking) (singing in native language) (singing) -(narrator): Pablo's friend, who was painted the day before, comes by to chat and see the others get painted.

His own markings have now darkened and set very nicely.

(singing) Now, some of the women attending the Yadiko will take the time to paint themselves.

(men singing in the background) (women joining the singing) This type of dance celebration happens a few times a year and serves to bring different communities together.

This Yadiko is to celebrate the retirement of an elder from his position as tribal leader.

Anywhere between 50 and 2,000 people may attend the celebration.

(The singing continues.)

It's the morning of the Yadiko, the big celebration, and Pablo's body paint has darkened nicely.

All he has left to do before he leaves is put on his accessories.

-(narrator): The celebration is happening about an hour away at a forest maloca that's only accessible by foot.

Pablo has a few more things to organize before he gets there so he's arranged to meet his sister along the way.

As the final body ornament, Flor is gluing flecks of cotton to Pablo's body.

This cotton was traditionally taken from an ant's nest.

(rattling) The last thing Pablo needs to prepare are the gifts he's bringing to the celebration: A few bought fish and some weevil grubs, which are a local delicacy.

(undistinctive chatting) (Pablo sings in his native language.)

(Drums join the singing.)

Guests to the celebration sing a song to announce their arrival.

They give gifts and then they share the elder's mambe.

(singing) (singing) (singing) Eventually, the men start bouncing the giant Yadiko log that represents the Anaconda and the dancing can start.

These dances are held to restore balance and harmony amongst the tribes.

(singing and banging) (Women join the singing.)

As the evening progresses, more people will arrive, and the dancing will last all night long.

(singing) (rattling) (singing and banging) -If you enjoyed Skindigenous, and would like to see more clips about these artistes or more about the locations featured in the show, head over to skindigenous.tv.

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