The Falls of Yayacopi, Rio Apaporis
February 1952

According to the Makuna Indians who live up several tributaries of the lower Apaporis, the falls at Yayacopi, like all the rapids of the river, were breathed into being by a primordial shaman who struck a deal with the gods. For generations, the Makuna had been attacked and nearly annihilated by a ruthless tribe of cannibals who dwelt at the river’s headwaters. Seeking an end to the terror, the shaman drank yage for seven days. In his visions, the spirits agreed to transform the land, creating mountains and impossible cataracts that would separate the Makuna from their pitiless enemies. Since that time, the Makuna have never traveled above Yayacopi and the upper banks of the Apaporis have remained uninhabited.