Guardian of the Green

This is Wacke

An elder from a small tribal community living on the edge of the Amazon.

He grew up in the jungle, and everything he knows has come from living off the land: plants, roots, animals, medicines, things most people will never fully understand.

We spent three days deep in the jungle with him. There were no marked trails, no sense of direction, everything looked the same. But he knew exactly where he was at all times.

He taught us how to survive if we ever got lost, how to read the jungle, follow instinct, and tune in to the jungle’s heart beat. He would hang back, staying hidden, letting us lead with nothing but intuition.

Just when we thought we were lost, a bird call would echo out, and there he was, reappearing to guide us back on track. He always knew. He always watched.

He didn’t speak our language, but he didn’t need to. His presence was calm, focused, and quietly confident. You felt safe around him. You trusted him without question like he was part of the forest itself.

This moment, captured here, was our second morning. Wacke sat weaving with leaves he’d gathered just before, completely at home, completely in control. 

This wasn’t just a guide, this was a man whose life, knowledge, and spirit were inseparable from the jungle.

It was one of the most powerful experiences of my life not because of what we saw, but because of what we felt being with him.