This is huge! The Huni Kuin people patterns (called Kene Kuin) have just received recognition as a cultural heritage of Brazil. This happens just one month after a similar recognition from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture (Feb 23).
These patterns are found everywhere - in their face and body paints, traditional clothes, ceramics...
Here' a short and interesting documentary on the topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EQW7cjSbws
I've got the habit of reading multiple books in parallel. I love to vary the pleasures and choose depending on my mood.
What I'm reading at the moment:
Braiding Sweetgrass
https://amzn.to/41MvOgO
The Art of Holding Space
https://amzn.to/41QTEIj
Tristes Tropiques - I read it in #French, but here's an English translation:
https://amzn.to/4iKLXdu
A book in #Spanish about the view of the #Spirit World according to the #HuniKuin (#Kashinawa) #indigenous peoples.
The ceremony is now underway. While the ayahuasca is working, everybody is playing music, singing, and dancing.
It's a real celebration of life. The music, the fire, the dance... everything takes on a surreal aspect. I ask myself if I am dreaming or if it is reality!
(excuse the quality of the photo)
The ayahuasca has cooled down and is ready. It's around 8pm, the ceremony will start soon, the medicine man has already set up the altar in the maloca. Sacred and meaningful objects are placed in its centre (tobacco, feather fans, containers, icons...).
I can feel nervousness and excitement in my belly.
It finally starts to look like ayahuasca! The brew is left to simmer and reduce. It gradually takes on its characteristic dark brown colour.
When all the liquid has been drained out, what's left is the fibres of the ayahuasca vines and chacruna leaves.
There's no use for it, and it is discarded.
Once it has boiled for a little while, the brew is left to cool down briefly. The ayahuasca vines and chacruna leaves are separated, filtered out, from the liquid.
The next step consists of adding water to the ayahuasca vines and chacruna leaves and bring it to a boil. Typically, a couple of hours are needed to extract the compounds from the plants.
This is done in the ceremonial maloca where the sacred events and community rituals take place.
When the vines are clean, they are beaten in order to separate the fibres. This will allow the active principles of ayahuasca to infuse the brew.
Next, the bark of the vine is rasped with a knife. This is a tedious step, but a very important one. You want to keep the vine intact while removing anything on the outside that may pollute the brew (lichen, moss...).
Then, collect some chacruna leaves (Psychotria viridis).
Excuse the plastic bag 
Starting a thread 
of plant medicine photos from my time with the Huni Kuin people in the Brazilian #Amazon.
These encounters gave me a new perspective on #indigenous wisdom and healing traditions.
Originally shared on Bluesky, will post one image at a time here.
A cultura gastronômica natural do povo Huni Kuin vem perdendo espaço para alimentos industrializados que, apesar de ajudar a reduzir taxas de desnutrição, acarretam problemas de saúde, além de impactar negativamente a preservação de um patrimônio cultural imaterial essencial para a identidade e a continuidade de suas tradições. #Hunikuin #Amazônia #EtnoConhecimento #MuseuGoeldi
Leia o press release da Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Ciências Humanas!
