ancestral rituals of the merayas

EL MUNDO MAGICO
VISIONARY JOURNEYS BETWEEN MEDICINE AND MAGIC
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Don Arman do ( Reshin Bes o ), former disci ple a n d d esc e n d a n t of S hi pibo Merayas
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
“THE ANCESTRAL RITUALS OF THE SHIPIBO MERAYAS”
A Journey Of Return To Spirit
An Unprecedented, Unique Shamanic Event in the Heart of the Peruvian Amazon
Rainforest
Hosted in
“ASHI MERAYA”
Centre of Shamanic Healing and Traditional Amazonian Medicine
30 Dec 2010-08 Jan 2011
Strictly, Advance Booking Only.
Closing Date for Registration: 30 November 2010
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The Event
Don Hecto r, senio r Shipib o O nanya
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
Day 1
9:15 am: Meeting in Iquitos’ town centre.
9:30 am: Transfer to our shamanic retreat centre “Ashi Meraya”, in the Peruvian Amazon
jungle.
10:30 am-11:10 am: Estimated arrival time in “Ashi Meraya”. Accommodation in private
bungalows and single rooms. Shipibo welcome ceremony.
12:00 pm: Lunch.
2:00 pm: Cleansing ritual bath (Baño de limpieza) with Ayahuasca leaves. Individual
consultation with the Shipibo shamans.
3:00 pm: Talk on the topic “Chullachaki caspi – the Great Mother protector of the rainforest.
The Welcoming Ritual.” (Chullachaquin jato becanwe acai masha)
After the talk we shall all drink a tea prepared with the bark of the Chullachaki caspi teacher
tree. Then we shall begin - and take all part in - the Welcoming Ritual of the Chullachaki. This
ritual consists in introducing oneself to the mother spirit (madre) protector of the selva, to ask
permission before starting any shamanic activity in the rainforest. We shall also ask the spirit
of the Chullachaki to grant our wishes, whilst we take part in different shamanic rituals,
herbal/flower baths and ceremonies during our magical stay in “Ashi Meraya”.
6:00 pm: Dinner.
7:00 pm: Talk and participation to the Amazonian “Yora Niscanti” (Sweat Lodge) ritual.
Day 2
8:00 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Exploratory walk along the ethnobotanical garden circuit of “Ashi Meraya”,
familiarizing with – and identifying – teacher plants.
12:00 am: Cleansing ritual bath (Baño de Limpieza) with Ayahuasca leaves.
1:00 pm: Lunch.
4:30 pm: Talk and Ritual: “Yora Payanti” (Ritual of Spiritual Purification)
6.30:pm: Talk by the shaman: “Toe’, great madre of the shamanic music and eye of the
occult science (ojo de la ciencia oculta).”
7:00 pm: Ceremony with the plant teacher Toé.
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Doña Leonilde, shamanka Shipiba, descendant of Shipibo Me r ayas
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
Day 3
8:00 am: Breakfast
10:00 am: Cleansing ritual bath (Baño de Limpieza) with the Rue (Ruta Graveolens) plant
11:am: Circle meeting with the shamans, exchanging experiences on the Toé ceremony of
the previous night.
1:00 pm: Lunch
5:00 pm: “Yora Payanti” (Ritual of Spiritual Purification)
7:30 pm: Introductory talk and recommendations from the shamans on Ayahuasca ritual.
8:00 pm: Ayahuasca ceremony.
Day 4
8:00 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Talk by the shamans followed by the Gran Ritual “Merayabaon Nashiti Masha”
(Magical Dance of the Merayas to seal the pact with the invisible beings and sacred plant
spirits).
1:00 pm: Lunch.
5:00 pm: Circle meeting with the shamans, exchanging experiences on the Ayahuasca
ceremony of the previous night.
8:00 pm: Ayahuasca ceremony.
Day 5
8:00 am: Breakfast.
9:30 am: Exhibition-sale of Shipibo artefacts and textiles.
1:00 pm: Lunch.
4:00 pm: Talk by the shamans, followed by the taking of the Remo caspi tea and
performance of the “Pacho yucati masha” (Remo caspi Ritual).
8:00 pm: Ayahuasca ceremony.
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Don Armando
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
Day 6
8:00 am: Breakfast.
10:00 am: Cleansing ritual bath (Baño de Limpieza) with the leaves of the Piñon Colorado
teacher plant.
1:00 pm: Lunch.
4:00 pm: Circle meeting with the shamans, exchanging experiences on the Ayahuasca
ceremony of the previous night.
5:30 pm: Dinner.
7:00 pm: Talk by the shamans followed by the performing of the “Merayabaon Chi pakeni”
(The Magical Fire of the Merayas) Ritual.
Day 7
6:00 am: Ayahuasca preparation
10:00 am: Breakfast.
12:00 am: Cleansing ritual bath (Baño de Limpieza) with the leaves of the Mucura plant
teacher.
1:00 pm: Lunch.
5:00 pm: Talk by the shamans and performing of the “Rau Cuin” (Smoke Medicine) Ritual.
8:00 pm: Ayahuasca ceremony.
Day 8
8:00 am: Breakfast.
10:00 am: Ritual Flower bath (Baño de Florecimiento).
1:00 pm: Lunch.
4:00 pm: Talk by the shamans and performing of the “Onanyabaon Masha” (Shamanic
Dance) Ritual.
8:00 pm: Ayahuasca ceremony.
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Doña Leonilde
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
Day 9
8:00 am: Breakfast.
9:30 am: Ritual Flower bath (Baño de Florecimiento).
11:00 am: “Nanebetan Mashen Siquíti Masha” (Tattoos: Transferring Symbols of Power)
Ritual.
1:00 pm: Lunch.
5:00 pm: Circle meeting with the shamans, exchanging experiences on the Ayahuasca
ceremony of the previous night.
7:00 pm: Talk by the shamans followed by the performing of the “Merayabaon jone jonibo
quenaquin ani” (Gran Ritual of the Merayas) by Don Armando (Reshin Beso), 75 years old
Onanya, descendent and disciple of Shipibo Merayas.
Day 10
8:00 am: Breakfast.
9:30 am: Final consultation with – and recommendations from – our Shipibo shamans.
11:00 am: Shipibo Farewell ceremony.
12:00 pm: Special group lunch, with the Shipibo family and all shamans.
2:00 pm: Free time to pack and get ready to go back to “civilization”!
2:40 pm: Transfer back to Iquitos airport (we recommend you to get the “Lan Peru” flight to
Lima, which leaves Iquitos at 5:50 PM and arrives in Lima at 7:25 PM).
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The Rituals
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
1. Ritual of Spiritual Purification.
This ritual is about purification of the spirit, the soul or the aura of a person. It was widely
employed by the Merayas (also known as Bancos) and the Onanyas (shamans) Shipibo to
alleviate pain induced by a wide array of circumstances, like the separation from a loved one,
bereavement, or the suffering of a mother/father for being apart from their son or daughter for
a long time. Equally, this kind of ritual was used to treat patients who suffered from stress, as
well as psychological or emotional problems. It was also employed to treat saladera, a
chronic run of misfortune (ascribed to supernatural causes), and to facilitate the re-union of
separated couples. Even brujos (evil sorcerers) recurred to this ritual to find peace in
themselves, after having committed a black magic deed, to find relief from feeling guilty.
The ritual was also practiced when one or more shaman’s apprentices withdrew in the forest
to start a plant diet, to tune with nature and connect in dream with the plant spirits.
Furthermore, the Merayas, with this ritual, could summon the spirit of dead relatives of their
patients.
During the Purification ritual, shamans will use purposely-made infusions (perfumes) of plant
teachers (like the Chullachaki caspi, the Remo caspi, etc), which will be sprinkled on to
participants. The human body is said to have an unpleasant smell to the plant spirits (genios
de las plantas), therefore when one begins a plant diet or any other type of shamanic
treatment it is of paramount importance to take part in this ritual, as the fragrances of the
perfumes prepared by shamans are very appealing to the invisible spirits of all plant teachers.
2. “Merayabaon Nashiti Masha” (Magic Dance of the Merayas).
Among all Shipibo shamans, the Merayas were the ones who extensively used this practice.
By performing this ritual, those on the plant diet sealed a pact with invisible beings, to adapt
to the spirit world. The ones who took part in the ritual asked the spirits (genios) of the plant
teachers for their wishes to be granted. They then took special baths prepared by the
Merayas with plants teachers. The Merayas had to sing intensely their icaros (magical
melodies) to “charge” the plants themselves. This was a grandiose ritual, where at least four
Merayas took part at once. The place where the ritual was to be performed, was preliminarily
prepared by the Merayas sprinkling the area with the same plant infusion of the baths, to
make sure the surface was well impregnated with the plant preparation, as otherwise invisible
beings (attracted by the scent of the plants) would not come.
3. The Remocaspi Ritual.
Shipibo legends tell the story of Ashi, the primordial Meraya, the very first among all Merayas
who shape-shifted himself into a semi-divine being, after having obtained unequalled
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Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
supernatural powers. Ashi - the Gran Meraya - was the first to discover, identify and give
names to different teacher plants, trees and vines of the selva. One night, whilst Ashi was
engaged in teaching shamanic arts to his disciples, he saw in vision a pretty beautiful plant
spirit being. He was in awe when he was revealed the great supernatural powers of the spirit
of this plant, which nearly surpassed those of all other teacher plants. When Ashi asked the
spirit for its powers and spiritual beauty to be transmitted to his disciples, he was refused and
was told: "I never share my powers and knowledge with anybody!". Ashi got then very angry
and replied: "From now on your name will be Pacho" (which means, literally, "squashed”,”
humiliated", "cursed") and then whipped him a great deal. After having been whipped and
cursed by Ashi, Pacho promised to share its powers with everyone who would seek its
knowledge, but attached the following condition: "All those who wish to receive my healing
and medicine powers, aside from taking my concoction must compensate with making
offerings to me and bow before me, so that I will hear their prayers".
It's for this that now the Pacho - or Remocaspi teacher tree - hasn't a smooth surface/bark as
the other trees, but it's deeply scarred, because of the whips it received from Ashi. At dawn of
the following day, Ashi ordered his apprentices to fast until midday. They then went through
the virgin rainforest and came across an ugly tree: it was Pacho. They performed there their
very first Pacho (or Remocaspi) ritual and offered each a mapacho (black jungle tobacco)
cigarette. Going around the tree, Ashi's disciples sang special supplicants' melodies to Pacho
and this way they could receive its powers.
This is the mythical origin of the ancestral Pacho or Remocaspi ritual and this is why is
important for a shaman's apprentice to do it. This ritual consists therefore in imploring the
spirit (genio) of this teacher tree, to receive its spiritual beauty, its medicine and healing
powers, as Pacho has a very proud spirit and requires that all those who approach him to ask
for its help, would do it in a special, highly respectful fashion.
4. “Merayabaon Chi Paqueni” (The Ritual of the Magical Fire of the Merayas).
In proximity of a very special event, the Shipibo Merayas were used to invoke and – thanks to
their shamanic powers - materialize a supernatural fire with which conduct this ritual. They
pleaded the fire god to give them energy, strength or a boost to their powers. They also asked
the fire god to purify their spirits and souls. Their disciples and patients attended this ritual
too. The fire that materialized during the ritual was not a normal fire, but a supernatural one, a
special fire charged with powers. This magical fire was employed by the Merayas in a variety
of circumstances, not only in the ritual itself but also in more mundane activities, like cooking
for instance. In this last case, however, only the Merayas themselves could safely handle the
fire, as anyone else who would eat a dish cooked over the supernatural fire might die.
5. “Rau Cuin” (Smoke Medicine Ritual – or Ritual de Humo de Medicinas).
The Merayas of antiquity used the smoke of different plant teachers to shield and protect
themselves from spiritual enemies as well as a mean to ascend to heaven. This smoke was
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Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
also used in a ritual way with their disciples or patients, to give them protections (arkanas),
purify their spirits and souls and strengthen their energy field.
6. “Onanyabaon Masha” (The Shamanic Dance).
The Shipibo Merayas performed a special ritual dance to celebrate important achievements,
like for instance the completion of a diet with plant teachers to seal or reinforce their
shamanic powers, or to mark their newly reached status of Merayas. Equally, this dance
could commemorate the successful completion of a plant diet (done either to become
shamans, or to achieve supernatural powers, or for other special aims). It was a happy, joyful
feast, only reserved to – and practiced by – the Merayas and their apprentices (not the
community in general).
7. “Nanebetan Mashen Siquiti Masha” (Transferring Symbols of Power Ritual).
This ritual was of great importance in the Shipibo culture and was practiced for different
reasons. Shamans (Onanyas) and Merayas used to seal powers passed on to other people
with tattoos, to mark the transmission of their knowledge and power. The same was done
when a group of shaman’s apprentices withdrew in the forest to begin their diet with plant
teachers, in isolation. They had to go through purification rituals in order to facilitate their
adaptation to the natural environment and the encounter with supernatural beings and spirits.
The tattoo was also considered, by dieteros, a mark of gratefulness towards Merayas for
having made possible to achieve their objectives
8. “Merayabaon Jone Jonebo Quenaquin Ani” (The Merayas’ Gran Ritual).
This ritual – performed at night – is the distinguished mark of Merayas’ (and Bancos’) style of
work. Face down inside a mosquito net, the Meraya entered in trance and summoned his
spirit helpers and other invisible beings. Whilst the Meraya alone was in the mosquito net,
anybody else attended outside. Patients were to wait in total silence, opening their hearts,
mind and spirit to receive healing from the spirit world, in the knowledge that invisible entities
would be at work on that night.
In an equal fashion, spirits and other invisible entities will be invoked, called upon and arrive
to work on each one of us, for our own healing. We shall all wear traditional Shipibo garments
(provided), stay in complete silence, open our heart, mind and spirit, smoke sacred Mapacho
(black jungle tobacco) and drink tobacco juice, after don Armando – the most senior shaman
who will be with us on this unique night - will have sang the special icaros of the Merayas on
to us.
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Our Shamans
Photo Credit: Jose’ Garcia Ramirez
Don Hector
Resembling a Franciscan monk from the Middle Ages (!), Don Hector is a thirty-seven years
old Onanya (shaman), native of the Shipibo community of Roaboya. He began his first diet at
the age of fifteen. With the exception of his only Shipibo teacher, Don Juan Cauper Sanchez,
Hector maintains that his only maestros were the plant spirits (genios de las plantas)
themselves. During his diets with plants, in complete isolation in the rainforest, he received in
dreaming the visit of spirit beings that taught him his icaros (magical tunes) and revealed him
the secrets of the shamanic healing. Don Hector is renown for being a very compassionate
and serious teacher, for the outstanding beauty of his icaros, for withstanding the intoxication
with Ayahuasca to levels rare even among other Shipibo shamans.
Doña Leonilda
A fifty-two years old shamanka, native of the Shipibo community of Roaboya, descendent of
Shipibo Merayas, Doña Leonilda dedicated - uninterruptedly - the last thirty-two years of her
life to shamanism. Her teachers were Don Lozano Mahua and Don Ilario Huayta Sanchez.
Don Armando (Reshin Beso)
Descendent - and disciple - of Shipibo Merayas, native of the Shipibo community of Roaboya,
he initiated his first shamanic diet when he was only ten, under the tutelage of his father, Don
Custodio. Now seventy-five, with an impressive background of many different plants teachers
dieted (Shihuahuaco, Tamamuri, Capirona, Chiric sanango, Sanango, Chuchahuasi de Boa,
Bobinzana, Chuchahuasi, Lupuna, Renaquilla, Coca, different varieties of Piripiri, Gorra de
Murcielago, Planta de Gallo and Ayahuasca), Don Armando is the most senior shaman at this
event – and the only one authorized – to direct the Gran Ritual of the Merayas. His shamanic
work is the fruit of what he learnt directly from his Shipibo Meraya (Banco) teacher.
Don Alfredo
Master shaman Don Alfredo is from the Shipibo ethnic group of the Amazon and works
permanently in Ashi Meraya. He is a maestro Toesero (a shaman specialized in working with
the plant teacher Toé, i.e. the Brugmansia suaveolens), an Ayahuasquero, a Naturista (i.e. a
master herbalist) and prepares a very potent Ayahuasca brew. Don Alfredo – who started his
first diet at the age of fifteen – had the great privilege of being in his youth a disciple of the
last Shipibo Meraya (or Banco, the highest possible rank that a shaman could achieve, in the
Peruvian Amazon), Don Luis Cauper Guimaraes, also known as Don Lucho.
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