Just off the part of Puno, Peru on Lake Titicaca float several hand-made islands. These islands are made of Totorah, a reed that is resilient enough to support a colony (when the bottom rots, more Totorah is adde to the top), you can also build a house, create beautiful boats, and the roots are soft enough to eat. Totorah is the center of life for the Urus, the inhabitants of the floating island. This boy is resting on a boat made of Totorah. His dark skin is typical of the tribes that live on Lake Titicaca. The sun and wind at 12,700 feet is unbelievably threatening, especially on the islands where there is almost no escape from the elements. Today these islands exist mostly as a tourist attraction, but at one time the islands were a defense from warfare on land. The question now is how to defend their culture from the typical tourist.