In the Amazonian basin, the rivers are the main arteries for virtually everything. Ships from New Zealand come to pick up a consignment of tree trunks, the waterways a constant ebb and flow of people and trade. Barges are the public transport system, bus, train and tram all rolled into one. Brazilian children at the Tajaparu river risk getting cut to pieces as they fasten their canoes onto fast-moving tourist boats in order to sell their goods. They are risking death in order to make a few pennies selling sweets and jams. They can neither read nor write, but they know how to count their profits. It is a contribution to their families income, often large families.
