THE GLAMOROUS LIFEHot New Summer Looks from the Amazon JunglePHOTOS BY THIAGO DA COSTA These photos were taken during our frog-hunting adventure in the Amazon jungle. In order to find said frog and subsequently get high on its venom, we had to travel for three days on a boat through the rain forest. We were leaving from a town on the ass end of Colombia and Brazil called Leticia (Colombia) and Tabatinga (Brazil). Leticia/Tabatinga was basically a military outpost for both countries until the 1980s rolled around and the city blossomed into the center of Brazil’s cocaine trade. Supposedly one in every seven people in the city makes a living from the cocaine business.
The night before departing on our journey, we met up with our river guide, Juan, who told us that the indigenous communities we were going to meet had no use for money but would surely appreciate some apparel—t-shirts, hats, dresses, bags, whatever. We set off on a shopping spree through Leticia/Tabatinga, and as we jumped from one shitty store to another we noticed that half the clothes they were selling were fake luxury goods. We thought our new friends could use some senseless logo-covered “bling” so we stocked up and headed out like a bunch of fashion missionaries. The Mayoruna tribe we were going to meet has only had limited contact with the outside world through FUNAI (the Brazilian government organization that deals with indigenous issues). These people were, in a sense, virgins to our world, and we were sure that the logos would mean nothing to them, but when we finally got there half the kids in the tribe were running around wearing Nike, Adidas, and Versace. It’s true that the brand names and logos didn’t mean anything to them, but they also weren’t anything new to them—just more gear coming down the river from wherever the fuck they thought we were coming from.
They were still plenty happy to get presents, though. Handing out all the stuff was quite a scene. The tribe chief made everyone line up like schoolchildren and each person got one thing, regardless of whether it fit their body or their needs at all. As soon as they were given something, they would run off to hide it in the forest and then get back in line like it was their first time. Later on, they were gracious enough to let us photograph them in their new ensembles.
See all articles by this contributor Anonymous, on Jun 9, 2009 wrote:
Western and western are different. | | Anonymous, on May 30, 2009 wrote:
powerful photoshoot! | | Anonymous, on May 29, 2009 wrote:
...the Amazon is part of "western." | | Anonymous, on May 29, 2009 wrote:
You are disgusting for feeding into the Westernization and end of culture that is happening with globalization. | | Anonymous, on May 27, 2009 wrote:
Did the photographer ask them to stay stern? I guess its better than smiling that wouldn’t make sense. Theres a sense of cruel global reflection going on here and its makin me a sad. | | Anonymous, on May 27, 2009 wrote:
Such a crazy theme to pick up on. Im glad you didnt create a fashion angle and kept it a feature. Really cool stuff with alot of messages. | | Anonymous, on May 26, 2009 wrote:
yikes, whats going on with those peoples mouths in picture four? | | Anonymous, on May 26, 2009 wrote:
why does everyone have such sour pusses on? I guess they didnt like their gifts | | Anonymous, on May 26, 2009 wrote:
indigenous people look like they reallllyyy like jewelry. ive never seen so many beads before | |
| boggle_brains, on May 26, 2009 wrote:
urgh. when hello kitty had made it to the amazon jungle you know it means the end of culture | | Anonymous, on May 26, 2009 wrote:
This article makes me sad. Vice, you are sick. | | Anonymous, on May 25, 2009 wrote:
The intent is unclear. I could use some incisive media critic to parse it for me, like the ones at Vice. | | Anonymous, on May 22, 2009 wrote:
when vice puts poor people in cool clothes, it makes poverty look cool. when vice puts poor people in other poor people’s clothes, it’s just a sad caricature. --gb | | Anonymous, on May 22, 2009 wrote:
That Prada bag is amazing! | | Anonymous, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
this story sucks. its gross and not in a cool way. | | Anonymous, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
the last photo with the woman and her children bugs me out, because all of them look exactly the same. | | Anonymous, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
whoa, the tattoos around their mouths are pretty fucking gnarly...kinda like a skull/joker thing goinig on | | Anonymous, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
these articles of clothing have definitely been chosen at chinatown NYC | |
| chickenhead, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
ok, so this fashion shoot, it’s a joke right? why are you clothing these jungle folks in such childish shit? | | Anonymous, on May 21, 2009 wrote:
"You can get Bufo Alvarius toads here of course rather than taking a long trip to trip. I have a few myself."
did you read the diary? its not a bufo alvarius its a totally different pain killer frog. | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
tell that tom’s guy he should go down there, they need him! | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
More good times in Brazil. Hey, lottsafun.
You can get Bufo Alvarius toads here of course rather than taking a long trip to trip. I have a few myself. | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
woaah what is up with the peoples mouths on picture four | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
do these people really just wear face paint on a daily basis! amazing.. i thought that was just a racist western assumption. | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
what the fuck is that woman supposed to do with a channel clutch in the middle of the amazon? gosh! | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
VICE sucks, you guys gould have given them some of the usual trendy shit instead of this tacky stuff | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
when I was in Africa the beggars werent even asking for money, theyd ask for your tee-shirt or your tennis shoes. it was kind of sad | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
although I doubt this was the intention of this article, but this is really good social commentary on the evvillsss of consumerism! | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
haha number 2 is hilarious. the girl looks fucking furious and her shirt is all bubbly and gay with "pretty!" scribbled over it | | Anonymous, on May 20, 2009 wrote:
Number #1 should be on a runway in Milan. | | | Next 30 comments > |
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