Amphibious community in amazonia
For centuries, indigenous peoples along the Amazon River have built amphibious homes. In Leticia, a small city in Columbia on the edge of the river, its port is the economic heart of the community. Living in close proximity to volatile waters, they have adapted their culture and architecture to the movement of the river. Anthropologists have called them an “amphibious culture,” as these homeowners have no fixed address and no official land titles. Boats are the main means of transportation, and floating homes function as gas stations, stores, and restaurants. These buildings buoy over the water with giant Amazon jungle tree trunks as floatation devices.
The houses rest on the ground beneath the port when the river is at its lowest. As waters rise, they perch half on land and half in the water. At the highest water level, the buildings float in the river, secured by thick ropes to metal anchors on the embankment.
The Amazon River has risen to levels unseen in over a century. Opposite the port in Leticia, La Isla de la Fantasía (Fantasy Island) is considered high-risk real estate due to the lack of solid soil to build upon, and lacks electricity, internet, running water or a sewage system. Due to the continuous flow of the river and intense seasonal flooding, Fantasy Island’s banks are constantly being eroded. Despite it all, an amphibious lifestyle allows the community to remain on the island.
