Enjoy our activities which will help you experience the sounds of nature and the voices of people from different ecosystems, through art, music, and environmental sciences. Our workshops for children and adults promote deep and conscious listening, seeking to raise awareness and generate actions for change toward protecting our ecosystems.
The guide or teacher will find the following sections in the different activities: description of the topic, additional information for activities theme and suggestions on web pages, where the guide can find more information on each theme.
Different audios of the Soundscapes and The voices of the people of the Caquetá Amazonian piedmont Chapter are suggested to carry out the activities; these are on the suggested audios list of each section. We invite users not only to listen to the suggested audios, but also to navigate through the diversity of soundscapes and voices of this beautiful region.
This activity seeks to teach children about the biodiversity of the tropical forest through different sounds.
This activity aims that children learn about the different forms of acoustic communication in tropical forest animals. Children will learn some of the animal characteristics of this ecosystem and will create a story imitating the different vocalizations.
The children learn where they can play the different audios on the VozTerra page and share them with their family. Family can guess what type of animal it is (bat, monkey, frog, bird, etc.) Children can share with their family what they have learned in this session.
Colombia is the second country with the highest biodiversity in the world and its tropical forests host a large number of species per square meter. The Caquetá piedmont, is one of these strategic areas with great biodiversity and countless endemic species (species not found anywhere else in the world), since it connects the Andes with the Colombian Amazon.
These are some of the characteristic animals of the tropical forest of the Caqueta piedmont:
[In each animal, you will find the audio link with the exact moments of the singing or vocalization, and a short description of its natural history).
From the first seconds you can hear the praise of the monkeys, and in the background the Sarabanod river. Throughout the audio they continue listening although not as intense as at the beginning. These audio was recorded at 4:56 pm on the banks of the Rio Sarabando.
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Squirrel monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis). Photography by: Colectivo Caquetá Exótica
These monkeys are small, weigh just a kilo and do not have a prehensile tail, that is, a tail that can hold on objects, such as branches, unlike other monkeys in the new world. They are diurnal, arboreal. They live in groups of 15 to 50 copies. They consume fruits and berries in addition to insects and small vertebrates such as frogs and lizards. The offspring goes on their mothers back and are weaned at six months.
Their predators can be eagles, snakes or cats.
This species is threatened due to the disappearance of its habitat and the wildlife trade, as they are illegally sold as pets.
The monkeys fulfill a very important function for the tropical forest as they are seed dispersers of many plant species, which contributes to the regeneration of the forest.
Throughout the audio you hear the sounds of many individuals of flat bats and common vampires, habitants of a cave. This audio was recorded at 10:18 am in the Yin Yang cave in El Horeb Reserve.
In this audio we listen two different species of cave-dwelling bats in the rain forest: flat bat (Cormura brevirostris) and common vampire (Desmodus rotundus).
Bats are very special animals, since they are the only mammals that can fly and their way of locating themselves is through echolocation. Echolocation consists of emitting waves that when bouncing off an object produce an echo. This echo returns to the bat's ears, giving it information about the object's shape, location in space, and size. Other animals that are located by echolocation are whales and dolphins. Bats fulfill different important functions for ecosystems such as the control of insect pests, the dispersal of seeds and the pollination of many plants.
Its coat is between gray and brown with a lighter belly. They have a firm snout and their ears are pointed. It weighs between 15 to 50 grams. Their average life span is 12 years. They feed from the blood of birds and mammals when it is completely dark. They inhabit caves and generally live in colonies of 20 to 100 individuals, although cases exceeding 4,000 individuals have been documented.
Its coat is dark brown to blackish in color and its nose is short. Live up to 1000 m.a.s.l. It feeds on small insects.
The cicadas are heard from the beginning and throughout the audio constantly without interruptions. In the background, the frogs croak throughout the audio. This audio was recorded at 5:12 am, when it is still dark, before dawn.
The cicadas are insects belonging to the order of the hemiptera. One of the characteristics of this order is that its head is much smaller than the thorax. The cicadas inhabit both temperate and tropical climates. As adults they feed on the sap of trees and other plants. Its sound is very characteristic in the forest and is made only by males, with drum-shaped organs located in its abdomen. This sound is the serenade that males do to woo the females.
Throughout the audio you can hear the song of the oriole. A few short songs are heard and then the characteristic song of the oropendola, which is very similar to to the dripping water.
Common Oropendola (Psaroculius angustifrons) Photography by: Colectivo Caquetá Exótica
Large birds with long tails. Its plumage is mainly olive-brown and its bright yellow feathers stand out in the lateral plumage of the tail and forehead. Its beak is long, straight and pointed. It feeds on fruits, nectar and insects.
Their nests are highly admired because they are long and imitate the shape of a backpack, which is why in some parts they are known as backpackers. They are generally found between 5 and 10 nests in isolated trees. In the Amazon they can get together to form flocks to spend the night in islands of the river.
Their songs have a diversity of intonations and calls, they can even imitate other birds. Generally, their singing is well-known, as it is heard as if water is falling into a pool.
The song of the Cock of the Rock is present throughout the recording from the second 0:08. At the second 0:55 a hummingbird sings. This song was recorded at 6:11 am.
The song of the Andean Cock of the Rock is heard throughout the recording with the river in the background. We heard it from the second 0:30 to 0:40 and several times in the audio, with the bottom of the gorge behind. This song was recorded at 6:40 am.
Andean Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruvianus). Photography by: Caquetá Exotica Collective
It is a very striking and colorful bird. Its crest is flattened like that of a rooster. Build its cup-shaped nests at the entrance to caves or on rock walls. Inhabits moist forests near waterfalls and streams. It feeds mainly on fruits, although juveniles are also fed on small vertebrates, such as lizards. It is a very persecuted bird to sell it as a cage bird.
The song of the Red-bellied Grackle is heard alone from the second 0:32 to 0:55. Several times you hear the Andean Cock of the Rock during all ther recording duration and a mask hummingbird from the second 0:08 to the second 0:20.
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Red-bellied Grackle (Hypopyrrhus pyrohypogaster). Endemic species of Colombia. Photography by: Camilo Andres Yasnó
Also known as red-bellied turpial. It is a very important bird for Colombia because it is endemic, that is, it is only found in Colombia. It is a species in a vulnerable state, because its habitat is at risk. Its plumage is black and it has a bright red color on the belly. It has a black, pointed beak. It lives in the upper parts of the forests, in small groups of 6 to 8 individuals, except during the breeding season when it separates into pairs or as solitary individuals. Sometimes they flock with other groups of birds or with orioles.
The laughing falcon is heard as if it were saying ("hollow, hollow, hollow") with its song, throughout the recording from the second 0:11 to the end, almost 3 minutes without stopping. You can also hear an Indigo buntin, an Andean Cock of the rock cock and other birds.
Laughing Falcon (Herpetoteres cachinans) Photography by: Caquetá Exotica Collective
It is a bird of prey that usually perches on bare trunks where it hunts snakes and other vertebrates such as rodents and lizards. Inhabits forests and savannas. Their nests are located iin hollows of trees or cliffs, and sometimes they use abandoned nests of other birds such as hawks. They walk alone or in pairs. They have black plumage that covers their cheeks, forming a black mask on their face. Its song resembles a laugh in the distance, which is why it is also known as a laughing hawk.
It is believed that when someone listen to the laughing hawk, it is because the death of someone close to that person is approaching, since it seems that his song said "hollow goes, hollow goes" (hueco va in spanish). It is also said that if he sings standing in a dry tree, he warns that summer is coming, and if he sings standing in a tree with leaves, he warns that the rain is coming.
The falcon, like most raptors, plays a very important role in balancing ecosystems, as they are predators of animals that are at the top of the food chain. So when there is an overpopulation of these animals, raptors help balance the size of these populations.
Starting from the second 0:02 the owl's song is heard throughout the recording every 2.3.4 seconds. In the background cicadas and frogs.
Red-bellied Grackle (Hypopyrrhus pyrohypogaster). Endemic species of Colombia. Photography by: Camilo Andres Yasnó
This barn owl known as a bell owl or white owl is the barn owl. It lives in plain areas , open country or semi-open areas. It is one of the most widespread land birds on the entire planet because it lives on 6 continents and on numerous islands. It is a good omen for farmers to find it in barns as it catches mice and rats. It feeds on rodents, some birds, insects, and sometimes frogs and fish. It hunts at night, as it has excellent vision, although it can also hunt in total darkness thanks to the precision of its ear.
This activity seeks to make students aware of the importance of protecting biodiversity in tropical forests. Students are invited to listen to different audios of the tropical forest and to be inspired by creating a piece of art, dance or music.
The Chapter Caquetá from the VozTerra platform has been possible thanks to the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Conservation and Governance Program in the Amazonian Piedmont, launched by the Patrimonio Natural Fund, in partnership with VozTerra. Its content is responsibility of VozTerra and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of USAID or the United States government or the Natural Heritage Fund.
The guide or teacher will find the following sections in the different activities: description of the topic, additional information for activities theme and suggestions on web pages, where the guide can find more information on each theme.
Different audios of the Soundscapes and The voices of the people of the Caquetá Amazonian piedmont Chapter are suggested to carry out the activities; these are on the suggested audios list of each section. We invite users not only to listen to the suggested audios, but also to navigate through the diversity of soundscapes and voices of this beautiful region.
This activity seeks to raise awareness in children about the threats faced by tropical forests and the different actions to protect them from home. Through the creation of a collage, the children commit to do their bit to take care of the forests.
| I'm going to do it | How am I going to do it? | I am not going to do it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use less paper | |||
| Use paper on both sides | |||
| Reuse as much paper as you can, including wrapping paper | |||
| Print only what I need | |||
| Purchase recycled paper and cardboard products | |||
| Recycle paper and cardboard at home | |||
| Buy paper from forests that we know have been managed with respect for people and the environment | |||
| Join internet campaigns that protect tropical forests | |||
| Asking our parents to attend foundation events that protect forests | |||
| Ask our parents to buy wood that is from certified forests that protect the environment | |||
| Suggest our parents to buy wooden things in second hand places to extend the useful life of these objects | |||
| Ask our parents to buy products brought from indigenous forest-dwelling communities (foods like chili, cocoa, chocolate, fruit, and handicrafts) at fair trade stores. |
In this activity, students want to create awareness about the different threats that tropical forests and the Caquetá piedmont, as well as identify different conservation actions such as civil society natural reserves and sustainable livestock farming.
The Chapter Caquetá from the VozTerra platform has been possible thanks to the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Conservation and Governance Program in the Amazonian Piedmont, launched by the Patrimonio Natural Fund, in partnership with VozTerra. Its content is responsibility of VozTerra and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of USAID or the United States government or the Natural Heritage Fund.
The guide or teacher will find the following sections in the different activities: description of the topic, additional information for activities theme and suggestions on web pages, where the guide can find more information on each theme.
Different audios of the Soundscapes and The voices of the people of the Caquetá Amazonian piedmont Chapter are suggested to carry out the activities; these are on the suggested audios list of each section. We invite users not only to listen to the suggested audios, but also to navigate through the diversity of soundscapes and voices of this beautiful region.
In this activity, the aim is that children get a little closer to the culture of the indigenous peoples, knowing and drawing a maloka, the communal house of the indigenous people of the Amazon.
The guide introduces Caqueta piedmont indigenous communities and their relationship with nature. He also explains to the children what a maloka is and what it means for indigenous communities. [See complementary information and references on the web.]
In this activity, the aim is for children to get closer to the Murui Muinane thought and culture through music, listening to indigenous songs, singing and accompanying with an instrument made at home with recycled material.
This activity seeks for students to investigate and learn about the relationship of indigenous peoples with nature and the importance of their knowledge for conservation. Likewise, the aim is to introduce students to the use and importance of some sacred plants in the culture of these peoples.
The guide introduces the indigenous communities in Colombia and the Caqueta foothills and shares with the participants the song of the cacique Emilio Fiagama.
For all groups: Students listen to different suggested audios and share the audio that most caught their attention. They explain why they prefer that audio.
This activity pretend to create awareness in students about the importance of conscious listening and the thinking of the Coreguaje people about what it means to listen to nature.
The Caqueta piedmont besides having a high biodiversity, it has been considered a center of cultural diversity for the variety of indigenous peoples that inhabit its territory. Historically it was a meeting place where the sages of the ancestral peoples of the Amazon and the Andes came to share knowledge about the nature and management of the world. Caquetá is inhabited by indigenous murui muinai or murui muinane, coreguaje, inga, embera, nasa, misak, pijao, andoque and some tucano and piratapuyo families, corresponding to 10 of the 115 indigenous peoples that exist in Colombia (Panche, 2018).
These ancestral cultures have great knowledge and wisdom regarding nature and its conservation, for which the protection of their ancestral territories and their ways of life is essential. However, they are in quite critical conditions due to forced displacement, the appalling conditions of the health service, little respect for indigenous traditions and limits to the development of their own education.
The indigenous peoples of the piedmont specialize in shamanism and the knowledge of medicinal plants among which are yagé and yoco. Likewise, they have the knowledge of diversity of sacred and mythical places of constant reference during their songs and rituals.
In the Caquetá Chapter we share with you some words from members of the Jaeni Diona communities and the Jurama community of the Murui Muinane or Uitoto* people and the Choosa'aro community of the Coreguaje people.
The Murui Muinane people, which means the children of tobacco, coca, and sweet cassava, mostly inhabit the southern part of the Colombian Amazon between the Caquetá and Putumayo rivers. They are divided into Murui, "people from the birth of the rivers or from the west", and Muinane, "people from the mouth of the rivers or from the East". For the Murui Muinane, the relationship with nature is a very close relationship, as expressed by Hernando Castro, a Murui Muinane indigenous:
"Within the indigenous worldview, the man-nature relationship is seen in an integral way; the territory is our mother, we are children of her and therefore we take care of her with the word, inheritance from our ancestors and food for the knowledge, growth and development of life in harmony with nature. The recovery of traditional knowledge of the elders regarding the use of natural resources and bringing them to different designs is what the elders say: make the word dawn." (Castro and Gala, 2003)
In their daily chores, the Murui Muinane carry out different activities such as agriculture, fishing and the harvesting of larvae and wild fruits. The men are in charge of fishing and hunting and the women of farming chores, the transformation of food, housework and children. The grandparents, along with the young people, are in charge of preparing the ground to establish the farm or garden and support the women in some activities. The entire Murui Muinane culture revolves around the maloka where rituals, dances and traditional festivals are celebrated. Sacred coca and tobacco plants are essential to their ceremonies. The coca leaf is roasted and piled for mambear (which is to chew and make a ball with the powdered coca to keep it in the mouth), a ritual that is accompanied by ambile, a tobacco paste. These two plants are essential for dialogue and decision-making, since the indigenous people consider the coca leaf as an ancient grandmother who gives clarity and wisdom. (Tagliani, 1992)
The coreguaje or korebaju people, which means 'children of the Earth', were previously known as guajes, payagaxes, guaques and piojés. Historically they have inhabited the upper Caquetá and Putumayo, which is located in the transition from the Andes to the Amazon in the piedmont. It is the oldest settlement area in the Amazon region. Its traditional economic activities are hunting, fishing, handicrafts, and fruit harvesting. Currently, they also have agricultural production systems. The coreguaje maintain a close relationship with their environment, with day-today circumstances and with supernatural forces. Learning to control these forces is done through taking yagé, its medicinal and sacred plant. The shaman knows how to read the images that the yagé produces, serving as a bridge between the forces and the spiritual world. In this way the cause of events is revealed and the affairs can be ordered and the different diseases can be healed. (ONIC)
* Uitoto: The term murui muinane will be used to refer to these indigenous people who are better known as Uitoto. The term 'uitoto' is of Caribbean origin and was imposed in the 19th century. It means 'slave' or 'enemy', so the indigenous people we visited told us that they feel better if they are called murui muinane and not uitoto.
The Chapter Caquetá from the VozTerra platform has been possible thanks to the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Conservation and Governance Program in the Amazonian Piedmont, launched by the Patrimonio Natural Fund, in partnership with VozTerra. Its content is responsibility of VozTerra and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of USAID or the United States government or the Natural Heritage Fund.
To listen consciously is to bring one’s mind to the present moment. The nature of the mind is to be active, jumping from here to there and the meditation practice helps us to silence our mind and allows it to simply be in total presence perceiving the world with greater clarity and understanding. Here you will find meditation exercises and a deep relaxation exercise.
Getting to know the Thomas Van der Hammen Reserve and the Wetland La Conejera, as well as their surroundings, allows us to be aware of the importance of protecting these life reserves. Here we can create roadmaps to generate concrete actions and thus helps us to mitigate Climate Change.
Here you will find the following activities:
In the world in which we live due to sound contamination, over-stimulation of all the senses at all times, very few of us know how to listen. Listening is being in the present moment. We are almost always guided by the sense of sight, leaving aside the sense of listening. In this activity we can enter spaces of conscious listening.
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