Amazonas, Marañon, Ucayali – views, experiences, writings

Abstract

The Amazon gains prominence when we visualise the territory that came to constitute America. It has been explored over time, both out of curiosity and greed, as well as the desire to expand our knowledge of the world. In order to think historically about its constitution and that of its different spaces, I consider the inaugural reference of Francisco de Orellana reported by Frei Gaspar de Carvajal and, subsequently, two authors (one romantic and one modernist): the poet Gonçalves Dias, who visited the region in 1861, and, just over half a century later, Mário de Andrade, “turista aprendiz” who sailed the river in 1927. The accounts convey experiences lived by authors who had their eyes educated by art and previous readings, having produced texts that reach us with great strength and permanence, especially if we consider the risks of predatory advances in the areas of rivers and forests, a concern present in Willi Bolle, who retraced Orellana’s route (2066-07) and the narrative by Davi Kopenawa and Bruce Albert – A queda do céu – relato de vida de quem é e fala da floresta (France, 2010; Brazil, 2015).