Against The Odds Uncharted: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | Lost Cities with Mike Heckenberger | 5
Feb 7, 2023
Anthropologist Mike Heckenberger joins host Cassie De Pecol to discuss his three-decade-long exploration of the Amazon and the uncovering of ancient cities. Topics include tracing Amazonian history through archaeology, the discovery of pre-Columbian cities, friendship with indigenous communities, cultural biases, and the importance of giving indigenous people a voice in preserving the Amazon.
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Living Descendants Reveal Deep History
- Mike Heckenberger used Quikuru oral histories to extend local history back over 2,000 years through archaeology.
- That work challenged assumptions that Amazonian peoples remained unchanged since European contact.
First Arrival In Quikuru Village
- Heckenberger arrived at the Quikuru village after a long wet trip and first saw the village lit by small fires at the riverbank.
- He described the experience as mystical, like stepping back in time among substantial thatch houses around a plaza.
Rapid Cultural Change In Decades
- The Quikuru village changed rapidly in a single decade after long isolation, adopting running water, medical care, and connectivity.
- Younger community members embraced modern tools while seeking to preserve traditional culture.