15
SHAMAN & eTHNOBOTANICAL gARDEN
LILAH CHOW
We, treacherous adventure seekers, strode
across a red dirt path to learn about the Amazon’s healing, and some could say magical,
powers.
The Shaman’s hut has a tall thatch roof, no real
walls, and a dark dirt floor. The Shaman greeted
us with palm leaf fans that protected us from
mosquitos. With that, he began to teach us
about some of the remedies shamans have used
for centuries in the rainforest. One of the plants
he showed us was the Baton de Aura, a toothache remedy. We were given the opportunity to try some and I, for one, can say that it's very
effective at numbing. He also showed us a bottle of Ayahuasca (pronounced 'eye-ah-WAH-ska'), a powerful hallucinogenic drink that produces vivid visions and nightmares. Inside a small jar sat the head of a Bushmaster, a venomous snake that literally makes its victims cry blood.
In teams of six, the Shaman performed a
ritual, beating a bunch of leaves above our
heads and chanting in his tribe’s language.
With this ritual, he warded off bad spirits
that we may have picked up throughout our
lives.
In the botanical garden, we saw many of the
plants he told us about, all used to heal and
protect. The Shaman demonstrated how to
make paper out of the bark of a tree and how
to collect fresh water from the roots of trees.
It makes you question what other kinds of
life-saving cures lie in the jungle.
On our fifth day in the Amazon, we took an open boat to the beautiful village of Sucusari. Everyone was so kind and had a strong passion for their culture. The women and artists of the village unveiled their talents, working with chambira palm. We were shown and taught how to make their crafts out the rainforest's natural resources. Every craft was made with love and incredible detail. They took pride in educating us on their culture by showing us their cultural center. We were immensely appreciative of their welcoming nature and the heartful experience they provided. For example, we brought clothes, which we traded for their handmade crafts. Experiencing their way of life was very eye-opening and changed our perspective of our daily lifestyle. Our viewpoint of genuine contentment was altered in a very impactful way. Those living in the village helped us to deeply connect with each other on a level that can make a difference in this world. They taught us that we don’t need a lot of material things, to live a happy life.
Perla BaRAHONA and GRACE LILLY
Sucasari