Amazon Visit #1: Shane Kaya (Dec 2024-Jan 2025)

I had the absolute privilege to spend 2 weeks with the Shanenawa people in their village of Shane Kaya in the state of Acre in Brazil. I was welcomed in with open arms, treated like family.

I flew from Toronto to Miami to Manaus to Rio Branco then drove 5 hours to the village.

I met a brother named Felippi in Rio Branco. He turned out to be a gift from god on my trip. He supported me with translation and even followed me on my 2 day stay at the hospital! Shava Shava Txai.

While in Shane Kaya I participated in a Feitio de Uni and a Feitio de Hapé. These people have been working with these sacred medicines for thousands of years as part of healing and connecting with the Creator.

A Feitio is a lengthy and arduous process of making sacred medicine.

Uni is a sacred tea. It is made by combining the Uni vine and the Kawa leaves and cooking it in water over fire for 3 days.

Hapé, is pronounced ‘haa-pay’ in English. It is a sacred shamanic snuff medicine. It is made by combining sun dried tobacco leaves with the ash of specific plants. (there are many different types of Hapé. While I was there we made Cumaru Hapé). 

Most beautiful is the commitment to sustainability and providing for the future people. For every 4 plants that they cultivate, they plant 10. The world is becoming aware of this medicine and many plants are taken without taking care to give back. The planting was an important part of the retreat.  

I can't speak highly enough of my experience. The amount of love that pours into me from this community is unbelievable. I have been back in Canada for 1 month and I still feel their love in my heart.

I cannot wait to visit them once more.

Shava Shava