Latest Expeditions and Projects
Reto a las Islas Prometidas 2016
First Experimental Archeology Expedition in the Country
Reconstruction of the route followed by the “Valenciod’s”, an Amerindian culture living in the Valencia plains (Venezuela) between 1000 to 1500 AC who travelled 130 km of Open Ocean Routes to collect Conch for their people
We began in 2013 traveling to the last ancient tribes in the Venezuelan Jungle to learn how to build “Curiaras”. We then spent the next 3 years learning to paddle them in the Ocean.
In January 2016, for the first time in 500 years, after 2 years tranning a crew of 17 non mariners, but accomplished athletes, we paddled for 30 hours non stop the 130 km of Open Ocean to “Dos Mosquises”, the sacred and ceremonial Island of the Valenciod’s in the Los Roques archipielago.
Proving that the long distance seafaring expeditions needed to populate the Caribbean Sea were possible as the distance between land and Los Roques is the same as the longest between Islands of the Caribbean.
Arriving in “Dos Mosquises”, the sacred and ceremonial Island of the Valeniods in Los Roques, 30 hours of continuous paddling from the mainland
Reto Waikeri 2017
Second Experimental Archeology Expedition in the Country
We now needed to prove that it was possible to travel over great distances. In 2017, once more on board “La Ye’kwana”, our expedition Curiara, departed Barrancas del Orinoco following what archeologist I. Rousse and J.M. Cruxent believed to be the route that the Arawak Saladoid’s used 4000 years ago on their quest of colonizing the Caribbean
We paddled 115 hours in 18 days to cover 700 kms from Barrancas via the Orinoco river to the Atlantic Ocean, on to the west coast of Trinidad and NE Venezuela, the Island of Coche all the way to Margarita Island.
Present day Amerindians visiting “La Ye’kwana”. Caño Macareo, Orinoco Delta, Venezuela
La Remada 2021
After 3 years in planning and building The Piragua Margariteña “Fernando Cervigón”, she was finally ready to be brought home.
The Piragua was built in Cariaco in the mainland coast. In August, 2021, our tribe gathered together in our allies riverside carpentry @Astigolca where it was built, for a crash course on rowing. Then —after a proper launching Ceremony— we paddled her 170 kilometers to her home port in Pampatar, Margarita. Her name: “Fernando Cervigón”, is in honor of this great man, who (among many other things) founded the Marine Museum of Margarita.