Audioconference Schedule

The Schedule

Week 1
July 23

Feature: Introduction to the programme. Amaz⌠nia's discovery and development.

This is my introduction to the programme. I will talk about my travels to the Amazon, and why I am here. I will also speak about my first impressions of Manaus, and what it is like to live here. As part of this week's feature topic I will look at Amaz⌠nia's history and early development – particularly the Great Amazon Rubber Boom.

Week 2
July 30

Feature: Endangered species and animals in the Amazon rainforest.

I will speak about the dangers being faced by animals in the Amazon rainforest and nearby rivers. When Amaz⌠nia was first discovered, explorers marvelled at the number and variety of animals to be found. The rivers were full of turtles, jacarΘ, manatee, and other creatures. But now, many of Amaz⌠nia's animals are now endangered and face the risk of extinction. What happened, and what are some of the things that people are doing to try saving the animals?

Week 3
August 6

Feature: The history of the Incas.

The Incas were the greatest empire ever to exist in the Americas. They built great cities, roads, canals, and sophisticated irrigation channels which turned deserts into productive gardens. They even transformed steep mountainsides into gardens by carving terraces. Yet, despite their greatness and their achievements, the Inca Empire (over 12 million people) was conquered relatively easily by a band of 130 Spanish soldiers. What happened to the Incas, and how do their descendants live today?

Week 4
August 13

Feature: Joe Kane's Amazon Adventures.

In this audioconference, Joe Kane will talk about his own adventures in Amaz⌠nia. Joe is an author and journalist living in Washington State.

In 1985, Joe was in the expedition which was the first to travel the entire length of the Amazon – from its source (glaciers high up in the Andes), to its mouth where it meets the Atlantic ocean 6,000 km later. Joe spent months travelling, by foot, river raft, and kayak – often through remote, unpopulated, and dangerous areas. The book that he wrote about this journey (Running the Amazon) is the best known modern adventure story about the Amazon region.

In 1991, Joe travelled to Ecuador to find out about the Huaorani Indians and their battle with international oil companies who were invading the Ecuadorian Amazon, setting off explosive charges, building new roads and oil rigs, and causing oil spills in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. Joe visited and stayed with the Huaorani many times, and met with environmentalists and oil companies trying to find out what was really happening to the Amazon rainforest and its people. His book, Savages, is a fascinating account of what happens when the 20th Century suddenly hits a remote rainforest people with full force – bringing with it huge multinational companies, lawyers and public relations experts, politicians, environmentalists, evangelists, technology, and ivory soap (popular with Indians as "the soap that floats").

Week 5
August 20

Feature: Life and Travels in the Amazon Rainforest.

This audioconference takes place a few days after my return from Manu Reserve. I will talk about my experiences, and what it's like to spend time trekking in untouched Amazon rainforest. During the trek I will have had the opportunity to see animals in their natural environment (including thousands of macaws which gather on a nearby riverbank) and meet Amazon Indians. I will talk about the rainforest, and about the people who live there.

Week 6
August 27

Feature: Life and Travels on an Amazon Riverboat

People travelling within Amaz⌠nia usually travel by riverboat. Because there are few roads in Amaz⌠nia, and few people can afford to fly, riverboats are the most practical form of transport. Riverboat travel takes several days, usually with so many people crowded onto the boat that it is difficult to move around on deck. Although there aren't any seats on a riverboat, passengers take along hammocks so that have somewhere to rest and sleep during the journey. Perhaps the best thing about riverboat travel is that several days stuck on a boat is great way to meet lots of interesting people.

The audioconference will also include a brief introduction to the town of SantarΘm, where I will be spending the next week.

Week 7
September 3

Feature: Ancient Amazon Cultures, and Modern Development in Amaz⌠nia.

SantarΘm was home to some of Amaz⌠nia's earliest cultures. Archaeologists have unearthed many ancient artefacts which tell us about how these people might have lived. One nearby site, Caverna da Pedra Pintada, is over 11,000 years old. SantarΘm is also the centre for local development of the region, including logging, new farms, and goldmines. Nearby is also Fordεlanda, a rubber plantation established by Henry Ford to supply the Ford Motor Company – and dramatic example of the failure of many large developments in Amaz⌠nia.

Week 8
September 10

Feature: Life in BelΘm and Ilha do Maraj≤

BelΘm is the second largest city on the Amazon, and is located at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. It was the base for much of the early Portuguese exploration into Amaz⌠nia. Nearby is the Ilha do Maraj≤, a fluvial island in the mouth of the Amazon. The island is bigger than Switzerland. though much of it is flooded or turns into swamp during the wet season. The island is famous for the buffalo which escaped to the island from a sinking French ship centuries ago. Farming buffalo is now the biggest industry on the island – although the buffalo are left free to roam about the countryside and even through the town streets.

Week 9
September 17

Feature: Life in the Brazil's Ultra-Modern Capital City

Brasφlia is Brazil’s famous capital city. It was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1987. The city was built from scratch in just three years, as a result of President Juscelino Kubitschek’s plan for developing central Brazil (his "Fifty years in Five" policy).

Students will get to see and learn about the spectacular (and very unusual) buildings designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer. Find out why the city caused so much controversy, and what it is like to live there.