All educational booklets and translated material were checked dozens of times by various committees of Canela men and women before the drafts were finalized for printing.
Typical Canela Village
One of the young Canela students who earned a free Bible by memorizing large portions of Scripture.
Jack sometimes jokes that he performed his "life work" in a dirt floored, palm leaf hut, sitting on a backless stool and wearing only a pair of swim shorts.
Jack as a dentist
August 11, 1990 was a red letter day for the Canela people with the distribution festival of the partial Bible translated into their language.
Jack, Jo, Valorie, Leanne, Cheryl Popjes in red dye and white down body decoration, mid-1970s.
Having become part of the Canela society meant having all the rights and responsibilities of Canelas. One of these was full participation in Canela festivals, ceremonies and traditions, including body painting with red ochre and feathers stuck on with tree sap resin glue.
Cheryl, Leanne and Valorie
Jack and Jo were each adopted into Canela families. This is Jo with her Canela father, mother and sister, Jack with his Canela father in law, mother in law. Valorie, Leanne and Cheryl with their Canela grandparents.
Many of the Canela men and women Jo taught to read their own language became literacy teachers themselves. The Canela learn to read booklets which were especially designed to be nearly self teaching.
Cheryl and Leanne with lizard. "Hey, you kids, quit playing with your lunch!"
