Emergency--Maestro Orlando's Village, Llucanayacu

Hello, my name is Owain Graham. I am an anthropologist and ethnomusicologist who has been conducting my doctoral research on Amazonian plant medicine and ikaros (healing songs). Over the last few years, it has been my privilege to get to know Maestro Orlando Chujandama Huazanga and some of the community at his home village, Llucanayacu. Llucanayacu has a population of around 300 and is located on the banks of the Huallaga River, about 35 minutes by boat from the town of Chazuta in the upper Peruvian Amazon.

Friends, Llucanayacu is in an emergency situation. Due to extended heavy rains, there has been a series of floods and landslides that have damaged and destroyed houses and blocked the only road to the village. This means the only way for supplies to get to the village is by boat, which is much slower and more costly. On top of this, the village's running water system was damaged by the landslides. The community has been forced to resort to using unfiltered water, and Maestro Orlando is worried about the effects that extended use of unfiltered water will have on the community's children.

As a community leader in Llucanayacu, Maestro Orlando has humbly given me permission to seek emergency financial help. I have reached out to some organizations that sometimes provide emergency funds to Indigenous communities in South America, but I have yet to hear back from them. Llucanayacu needs help as soon as possible. Having not heard back from other emergency funding sources, I reached out to another of Maestro Orlando's friends, Aubrey Marcus, who agreed to help get the word out about Llucanayacu's situation. So, we are asking for donations to help rebuild and repair damaged houses, to repair the community's water system, and to ease the increased financial burden of bringing in filtered water and supplies by boat until the road can be cleared--which will likely take months.

Maestro Orlando and the community at Llucanaycu are beautiful, hardworking people and culture bearers of Amazonian lifeways, including plant medicine and ayahuasca. They have been incredibly generous over the years, accepting visitors and sharing their knowledge. I have set the initial goal for this fundraising project at $15,000. This is not enough to repair everything, but it will go a long way to helping until we hear back from other potential funding sources. Please join me in repaying Maestro Orlando and Llucanayacu for their generosity by supporting them through this difficult time. The community is grateful for every little bit of help they can get.

Thank you for your time and generosity in considering a donation and sharing this fundraiser page to support Llucanayacu.

Best wishes,

Owain Graham

P.S.

I will be providing updates on the situation in Llucanayacu, including pictures and videos when possible.

These are some pictures Maestro Orlando sent. You can see how the small stream that runs behind the village has grown far beyond its banks.

The road into Llucanayacu is underneath the pile of rocks and trees that slid down from the surrounding hills.