978-1-4222-3341-2

Aerial view of Manaus in the state of Amazonas.

that lived off the land—some even worshipped it. In Brazil, the Amazon is home to at least seventy-seven indigenous tribes that have never been seen by other humans. Some, such as the Awa, are hunters and gatherers, moving from place to place, building and abandoning homes within days. Other tribes, however, are more settled, living in communal villages where they hunt, fish, and plant crops. TRIBAL LIVING The Aparai and Wayna tribes live in small villages, which traditionally do not have more than 10 people although some have nearly 30 residents. In Brazil, the tribes have a population of 415 people, who live in 15 villages along the East Paru River. They live in homes called the tapyi , which are made of several “houses” including one that serves as communal kitchen, and another that serves as an “oven house” where manioc bread is baked. About 20 million live in the Amazon region, most of them in Brazil. The largest city, with around 2 million people, is Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, located on the Black River, the largest tributary of the Amazon River. One town, Catalão, is down river of Manaus. Catalão floods each year,

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CHAPTER SIX: CITIES, TOWNS, AND THE COUNTRYSIDE