From the forest of the Amazon
The Kaxinawa Huni Kuin people (meaning “real people” ) are an ethnic group of indigenous tribal natives who are settled on the Brazilian - Peruvian border in the state of Acre, in the north-western part of Brazil. They are living along the rivers that flow into the interior of the Amazon.
Huni Kuin are working to solve their roots, traditions and wisdom. They are the guardians of that particular knowledge of which our planetary culture increasingly craves. These people are cultivating close ties with the body of the earth in a way that is difficult to understand, and accept for Westerners. Through its cosmology, customs, traditional rituals and language they are maintaining the inseparable link between the forest as a whole.
After coincidences that were strangely casual, I found myself traveling for four days on one of the Amazon rivers. At last we arrived in the Nuovo futuro village. One of the homelands of the big family of Huni Kuin Kaxinawa. Until now only a few Westerners have visited. Welcomed by traditional Indian whooping and a blare of trumpets, the village with it’s 60 inhabitants of which 40 are children. The nearest neighbors are ‘un-contacted indigenous’. Sometimes in the dry season they come to observe the Huni Kuins, but are to shy too to establish a contact with them. It is these un-contacted indigenous who have been recently recorded from a helicopter. From the video circulating online it is clear how impermissible intrusion was that act into their lives.
Ninawa, shaman of the Huni Kuins of the Nouvo Futuro village is asking the Brazilian government to let him contact these people as he at least can communicate with them. They should not bring people there who do not know about the culture of the indigenous, but this is a special story, a story of compassion and humanity.
A series of fortunate coincidences
My trip to the indigenous in the Amazon rainforest began on an intuition and the desire became a reality in itself.
There I met two other girls with the same objective. In the jungle we were escorted by a Brazilian man named Vinicius who lived for six months among the indigenous Huni Kuin village. He is now assisting the Shamans with their travels around the world healing people, and expanding and sharing their ancient knowledge.
Due to a few language barriers with Huni Kuins, Hancha Kuin, meaning "real words" and Portuguese, we decided with the chieftains to communicate in the language of the heart. The most understandable way to communicate. Before we went into the depths of the jungle, we had a meeting with representatives of the Huns Kuinos of that region. I experienced the most beautiful "press conference” of my life. Everyone was carefully listening to the speaker. Each speech was spoken from the heart and at the same time sharp minded. At the end of the speech everyone showed their gratitude with a gratifying sound Haux Haux.
The hosts were sincerely happy of our visit and presented us their project of cultural exchange. I soon found that we were one of their first guests. Even then I sensed that I am venturing into something perfect and so forgotten.
Our purpose was also as a cultural exchange. The Kaxinawas know very well what time it is on this planet and that genocide against them is over. Now that they are free the moment has come to help us – the Westerners. And we can help them. Their knowledge is invaluable to our civilization and even redemptive. Their ancient Amazonian secrets can heal the mind and body of Western civilization. Indigenous people do not condemn our arrogance and indifference to the planet, they just want to help us. They know that a new era of ancient knowledge has appeared. They feel the mission and are taking over the responsibility for the healing treatment of our civilization. Healing the one who has done so much evil to you, is certainly deeply noble, but in fact very intelligent. That's when I realized that this is one of the most intelligent inhabitants of the earth.
Insects - the guardians of the Amazon
Physical life in the Amazon jungle is difficult. Danger is at every turn and throughout the woods or hunting they always go in pairs. Open wounds are part of everyday. Children can run freely around barefoot, however their feet are corroded of sand flies and mosquitoes bites. Babies cry a lot, after the age of three they become little warriors. Open and ulcerated sores are just there. They know that the body is just one of the realities. Itching is a sign that one has to mentally focus and master the body to be capable without scratching. When whining or crying older children only squeal and the shout lifts them up into joy.
Children play all day and in the month I lived with them, they never had a fight. Yelling, screaming, controversy and boredom they have no knowledge of. Their voices are pleasant, smiling, giggly, shy, seductive, gentle, charming like a cuddly cartoon. Paradise, even the trees are growing sweet fruit candies.
All of their time is wracked with singing, silence, warm glances, humor, toothed giggle and attention. For them every moment is sacred and therefore any action. Purity of talking and thinking is normal to them. Adults do not elevate the voice and do not show the authority. The society does not know violence, injustice and competition. Their wealth is their culture and the spiritual world.
Food
As a vegetarian I was surprised that such highly spiritually developed society is eating meat. Vegetables are struggling to grow due to the lack of minerals in the soil. Therefore, hunting is almost the only source of food. They are worshiping the animals, although they know that most of the diseases in the human body appear from eating animal meat. Meat is toxic and simultaneously a source of vitamins and minerals. To maintain a healthy body and a clean spirit they drink a few times a week a preparation of medicine plants. Consumption of the medicine preparation cleans and strengthens their bodies and minds, increases immunity and inhibits disease.
Family is one
Kaxinawa Indians are free to choose their partners and they also freely separate. Children will be taken care both by the family and the community.Intimate things are very intimate to them.Couples do not show much physical affection and do not kiss and hug. Love radiates with attention and warm loving gazes to each other. Innocence and sincerity are obvious. Giggles and laughter echo throughout the village, the voices are in tune with the forest.Faces of the locals are clean, beautiful and healthy, perfect bodies without any fat, decorated with black and red semantic patterns. Each sample has its own song. Paintings sharpen their awareness and protect them from animals and spirits of the forest.
Nuovo Futuro Village
The village has ten houses and a small football field, where football is played every Sunday. Shamans house is right in front of the football field.
Shamanism is an important aspect Kaxinawá culture. Rituals, myths and dances are part of their everyday life.
In the middle of the village stands the sacred temple Kupixawa, where three nights a week rituals take place. When the night falls around 18:00 spirits of the forest wake up and the contact with them is easier. As the night is coming the mosquitoes and sand flies disappear, the heat from the day cools down and life jumps into a dimension of magic. The ritual begins with the sacred dance performed by children. Huns Kuin teacher leads the ritual with the guitar, the children hold hands, dance and repeat the ancient syllables and melodious words of their language. Movement follows the shape of a snake or a circle. Dancing lasts for more than two hours and is physically demanding. Children's heads are spinning and this is an exercise for focus. At the end they realize their hands and the pleasant sensation is followed by laughter and gratitude to each other. After the ceremony the adults join the children and the Shaman opens the ceremony. Men and women are dressed up in traditional clothing with stripes on the heads and other ritual jewelry and some also wear colorful big plumes.
In Kupixawa there is silence and holiness. The residents appear as ghosts and are difficult to distinguish. In the middle burns the sacred fire. Kupixava has only one entrance and it looks like an eco space ship. Shaman invites the participants for a cup of healing potion. In silence everyone drinks the bitter and sits in their places. The shaman begins to play the guitar and singing ancient songs worshiping the forest and all its inhabitants. They show the respect to the spirits of the forest, worship them and ask them for protection. Words are gentle and can be easily pronounced. Everybody is singing along with the shaman. Shortly a strong visualization starts to appear in the minds. Singing becomes more intense. One can feel nausea and also vomiting may occur as the medicine finds disease and thus ejects it. Shortly after that the mind gets clean and free of unnecessary thoughts and feelings. When the body vanishes, we enter into another consciousness. Life connects with the vision of medicinal plants, each step is honored.
The night continues with singing and dancing until dawn. The whole community participates ; children, parents, grandparents. I was filled with a reliable feeling that everything is as it should be.
The morning brings a new day as the whole night and all travels to other dimensions did not exist. People giggle, the children play. I myself have spent mornings after the ceremonies in a hammock. I was listening to the river and the jungle voices, which were so loud, as a traffic city. Sometimes I even heard the siren of a nocturnal bird. The tropical rain makes me sleepy, mother Amazon strokes from the inside, surrendered to the feelings I merged with the forest.
Samauma sacred tree and the jungle pharmacy
Not far from the village lives a millennial sacred tree Samauma that resembles the tree from the movie Avatar. This tree is a sanctuary. It is the strongest tree in the jungle and chief of all forest spirits. With his thick roots it guides the overall water circulation and this water is healing and sacred. The high crown is not visible and around its huge trunk ceremonies are taking place. There is a painting of the Samauma spirit. Children can visit the tree only if accompanied by their parents.
The pharmacy of the amazons is the forest. They know the right medicine for any inconvenience should be physical or mental. All medicines are after consummation painful, shortly burning, and might provoke vomiting. When the physical inconvenience passes, the mind, the sight and other senses get completely focused.
Huni Kuins people received their knowledge and wisdom of thousands of years ago from the forest, rivers, plants, elements, trees and animals. They are said to exist since the forest began, they are the guardians and protectors of the Amazon. Their knowledge of medicinal preparations Amazonian plants is broad and ancient and their hearts are filled with love, they truly can be the healers of our civilization.
