The rubber of the Brazilian rainforest | VPRO Documentary
107Redmond O'Hanlon travels to the heart of the Brazilian rainforest where he searches for rubber seeds in the footsteps of his hero Henry Alexander Wickham (1846-1928).
O'Hanlon's Heroes is a series of documentaries in which the British writer Redmond O'Hanlon follows in the footsteps of his heroes: naturalists, explorers and adventurers from the 19th century.
Sir Henry Alexander Wickham is an almost forgotten and somewhat dubious hero from 19th century Britain. Endangering his own life, he smuggled seventy thousand rubber seeds from the Brazilian rainforest to England, commissioned by the botanical institute Royal Kew Gardens in London.
With Wickhams seeds the British could finally start to grow rubber themselves in colonial India, which meant the end of the Brazilian monopoly on rubber. Since then, Wickham has been one of the most despised men in Brazil.
O'Hanlon begins his journey in the Brazilian city of Manaus. There he visits the Opera House that was built during the time that the city was the rich center of the rubber trade. Then he travels to Santarèm where Wickham started a rubber plantation together with his family. From here, O'Hanlon gets on a boat on the Tapajòs River and pulls deep into the rainforest, looking for the legendary mother tree where Wickham stole the seeds.
On the way he stops at a dilapidated Jewish cemetery in the jungle and goes out in the night with a tapper to tap rubber milk. The tapped milk is then smoked over a fire and processed into large chunks. The chunks are bought by a sailing merchant.
Original title: De Rubberdief
On VPRO broadcast you will find nonfiction videos with English subtitles, French subtitles and Spanish subtitles, such as documentaries, short interviews and documentary series.
This channel offers some of the best travel series from the Dutch broadcaster VPRO. Our series explore cultures from all over the world. VPRO storytellers have lived abroad for years with an open mind and endless curiosity, allowing them to become one with their new country. Thanks to these qualities, they are the perfect guides to let you experience a place and culture through the eyes of a local. Uncovering the soul of a country, through an intrinsic and honest connection, is what VPRO and its presenters do best.
So subscribe to our channel, and we will be delighted to share our adventures with you!
more information at https://www.VPRObroadcast.com
Visit additional youtube channels bij VPRO broadcast:
VPRO Broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/VPRObroadcast
VPRO Metropolis: https://www.youtube.com/user/VPROmetropolis
VPRO Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/VPROdocumentary
VPRO World Stories: https://www.youtube.com/VPROworldstories
VPRO Extra: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLrhK07g6LP-JtT0VVE56A
VPRO VG (world music): https://www.youtube.com/vrijegeluiden
VPRO 3voor12 (alternative music): https://www.youtube.com/3voor12
VPRO 3voor12 extra (music stories): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtgVYRLGraeL9rGMiM3rBHA
www.VPRObroadcast.com