Back Cover:
This work is a journey whose goal was to reach the true spirit of the Huaorani Indians of the Yasuni region of the Ecuadorian Amazon. It is an unashamed attempt to reveal to the Ecuadorians and the world that, behind the shame of nudity taught by missionaries, and beyond the sensationalist newspaper headlines of murderous spearings, the Huaorani possess a warm, humorous and gentle spirit. A spirit so in tune with the forest environment that we are left only to marvel at their attributes and to wallow in our own ignorance. I very much hope that after turning these pages the Ecuadorian reader, in particular, will be proud of his or her heritage, and will take pride in recognizing the Huaorani as integral members of the very special Ecuadorian melting pot.
Many of these photos were taken while working with a Huaorani who had been educated in Quito, had written a book about Huaorani mythology and had asked me to follow him in to the communities to photograph them, not through my own tourist eyes, but following his vision, through Huaorani eyes. I found myself totally accepted, largely ignored, and yet fully included. I had fun, we laughed hard and on this journey I gained a privileged insight into both the way they see themselves and into their hearts, from where these images were born.

An award-winning husband and wife photographic team, Pete Oxford and Reneé Bish have lived in Ecuador since 1985 and 1992 respectively. The images in this book reflect the passion with which Pete approaches his subjects, allowing him, in this case, to capture candid yet dignified moments in Huaorani culture. Pete and Reneé’s work has appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian, BBC Wildlife, Geo, The Times, Airone, International Wildlife, Nature’s Best and National Geographic Explorer among other publications. This is their eighth book.

SPIRIT OF THE HUAORANI
An Amazon people of Ecuador's Yasuni region

published Ocober 2007

I worked as the text editor on my friends Pete Oxford and Renee Bish's remarkable new book about the Huaorani Indians of Ecuador's Yasuni region. As well as editing Pete's introduction and footnotes, I also researched and contributed most of the quotes that appear in the book.

It was designed by the very talented Ecuadorian graphic designer Belen Mena.

HEART AND SOUL
Geographical
(the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society)
August 2007
Text

Quito's World Heritage-listed colonial centre is the largest in the Americas. And thanks to municipal intervention and a school for disadvantaged children, the Ecuadorian capital's historic heart is being revitalised. Dominic Hamilton reports.

PDF file here

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

Saab Magazine
March 2005
Published in the UK and 18 countries worldwide.
Images + text.

The cloudforests of South America are home to many endemic species and plants whose future is in the hands of the local inhabitants. Dominic Hamilton's inspiring journey took him across the continent to the spectacular surroundings of Ecuador.
See pdf file here.

As one gains altitude, every available surface becomes festooned with liverworts, lichens, mosses and filmy ferns, while tree stems become crooked, gnarled and wizened. And amid this glistening, moist, green mass swirl mists and fogs. Not for nothing are they called fairy or elfin forests: they look like a set from The Lord of the Rings.

AMAZON ADVENTURE

Spring 2005 - Traveller magazine (UK)
Kapawi Ecolodge in southeastern Ecuador.

Snaking along the lumbering River Kapawi, buzzing from thickly-clad bank to woolly bank, a hoatzin bird puts on a display for the newly-arrived tourists. From its low-hanging branches, it rears up on its hind legs and flaps its brown and yellow wings, screeching and hissing. As we motor past, it turns, as if to make sure we've acknowledged its presence. It is a fitting welcome to the Kapawi Ecolodge: the hoatzin, also known as the 'stinky turkey', is the lodge's symbol, adorning all the staff's T-shirts and the lodge's literature.

See article >>