"night tigers" – Author Robert W Howe – Book Review
The life of an Amazonian tribal community is brilliantly explained with the writings of Robert W. Howe as he follows the true story of Juan and Amalia Arcos, lay missionaries and naturalists who live in the rain forests along the Amazon.
In the mid-1900s, Juan Arcos studied to be a priest under Father Peter Vosa, a man who had guided him for the last fifteen years of his life. With much prayer and careful consideration, Juan finally decided not to become a priest. This decision was difficult for him, but God led him to become a teaching missionary. He felt strongly that God wanted him to work with the local tribal people called the Shuar, because he had already learned their language as a child and felt connected on a spiritual level.
Juan and Amalia’s goal was the commitment to lead a life dedicated to God and his people, the Shuar. They are simple, humble people. Being considered violent, they are actually generous, welcoming and kind. In Howe’s book, he describes how the Shuar speak with the dead, balance the needs of their men and women, keep peace or wage war, practice the ancient art of shamanic journeying, and learn from sacred master plants (ayahuasca, datura , chicha, and tobacco) and many more tribal customs. He provides a glimpse into the lifestyle of a culture from another time, in a faraway place, life within the Amazon jungle.
Tigers of the Night really does have some powerful messages that are very welcome at a time when we all need to feel a sense of strength, courage, healing and love. While the book’s vivid images invite us to experience the lush tropical splendor of the Amazon rainforest, the real value lies in the rich wisdom imparted by the Shuar people.
It is very appropriate to have a picture of a waterfall on the cover of this book. For the Shuar people, waterfalls are sacred. If he needs strength, answers, or wisdom, a man will visit the waters to get in touch with his soul and find direction.
Robert W. Howe’s writing speaks of indigenous wisdom, different ways of life and is especially focused for those who are already missionaries or those who wonder if God may be calling them. This book would also be a great resource for his pastor and his church library. He created a masterpiece that lives in one’s heart for a lifetime. For the Shuar, their homeland is a place of wonderful beauty and great danger. It is a place where anacondas lurk in the rivers and jaguars prowl at night, Tigres de la noche is a book that tells its story. He’ll find that “Night Tigers” includes author’s notes, an appendix, and a bibliography for further reading.
Title: Night Tigers
Author: Robert W Howe
Publisher: Palibrio Editorial
ISBN-10: 1413415024
ISBN-13: 978-1413415025
Pages: 373, paperback and hardcover
Genre: Biography/Nonfiction/Spirituality
Reviewed by: Nicole Sorkin, Pacific Book Review