The gods must have a sense of humor because they put my friend, Amelia, and I on the volunteer “Security Team” at Rainforest AID 09-- which is like putting Dyslexics in a spelling bee. Rainforest AID 09 was a three-day marathon, musical eco-orgy, June 19-21, 2009, in the middle of an isolated rainy wooded area on the Osa Peninsula, in Costa Rica. It was like living in a Turkish steam bath for a week.
The Painforest, as you may not know, is home to bazillions of flying, blood-sucking insects, ants with teeth and spiders the size of Chihuahuas, who obviously do not appreciate our humble efforts to save their natural habitat. It is also home to a potpourri of single-celled organisms which announce their presence in the form of liquid bowel-movements.
Note: I am the only one, I know, who did not get diarrhea during this festival. Therefore, I have identified a new psychological state: “Bowel-Envy.” And since 100% of the human waste produced at this festival was proudly donated to a local farm, I sincerely empathize with those that inherited our lively liquid “humanure.”
Amelia and I had to report to the jungle on June 16, to help set up this environmentally-correct carnival which consisted of bamboo and banana leaf structures and plates (no plastic plates!); composting showers and toilets (which make porta-potties smell like lilies); amateur plumbing (I know because I did it myself!); lots of sawdust; and mud, lots of mud. (To this day, I am still finding mud in unimaginable places: How did that get there?!)
In addition to being the first three-day music festival in Costa Rican history, the organizers claim that it brought classical, blues, rock, and world music, for the first time, to an Osa stage. The music at the festival was a funky combination of surprisingly high quality reggae (my fave San Jose reggae band, Kingo Lovers, were there!), bluegrass, country, heavy metal, rock, and even a stunning classical performance by Tico pianist Manuel Obregon and an American violinst, Nancy Buchan. Overall, there were 139 musicians, who traveled from 5 different countries, and donated their time and music on behalf of protecting Osa rainforests from deforestation.
My understanding of the situation in the Osa is that due to a poor economy locals can make a quick buck by cutting down rainforest (selling the timber.) Therefore, the rainforest is being rapidly depleted for quick cash. This festival alone created several local jobs; brought a lot of “tourist” cash to local businesses (from taxis to restaurants and hotels); implemented several local environmental programs throughout the area; installed public phones in Amapola; and over 30 new trees were planted during the festival.
I think for a first time festival, things went as well as one could expect when throwing a huge international music festival in the middle of the jungle, during the rainy season. Everyone recognizes a need for more local community involvement, better festival logistics, more Spanish, but there is already talk of Rainforest AID 10. So be ready for next year—the music alone was worth all the mosquitoes, mud and diarrhea.
