Pilgrimage Through the Americas: Shuar practices, beliefs, & myths

Nighttime Entertainment in the Jungle

Jungle sounds at night are lusty, rowdy, and constant. Besides the background crickets and buzzing of flying insects, there are frogs that sound like remote control airplanes going round and round. Roaring yells from monkeys punctuate the darkness. Chicken like cackles are conversations between unknown creatures. I heard crushing of big branches and fallen leaves that sound like a human size beast pushing through the trees and undergrowth. Piercing screams and painful howls arouse the senses. After dusk as darkness sweeps over the tropical forest the struggle between prey and predator, life and death, survival or demise is intensified. The perpetual, nonjudgmental law of the jungle dictates that not every living creature that witnessed the sunset will be alive to see it rise. Those that are have full bellies, satiated urges, and no regrets. Nighttime is when the Shuar gather around in groups, with chicha flowing, and share stories, plans for the future, and connect with one another through conversation.

Nightfall in the Amazonian jungle

Fermented chicha ready to be shared with family and friends

In the morning this hand size spider was hanging over my tent

We sat on the floor, no chairs in the sleeping quarters. Tunki’s wife Margo lit a lone candle and prepared the customary large plastic mixing bowl of chicha. This night Margo’s older brother, Miguel, his wife and fifteen year old son have come to visit. Tunki took the first drink of chicha and passed it to Miguel. He drank and passed the bowl to his wife. She sipped and passed it to the son. It’s passed to me. I took a small swallow. I haven’t gotten use to the taste, but understand I’m participating in a ritual of fellowship, mutual protection, and bonding as a species in competition with other more deadly living beings. I passed the bowl to Margo.

Miguel showing me his bush of chiles

No not snow: spider eggs, when they hatch

they'll produce hundreds of thousands of spiders

Everyone was speaking the Shuar language, and every now and then some Spanish, which I understood. Tunki periodically translated the topic and theme of discussion for my benefit. Since there is no electricity and consequently no TV, DVD’s, CD’s, radio, computers or internet, visiting and animated conversation is the entertainment. Tunki tells me they are discussing the “project” of raising palmetto (palm tree) weevil grubs to harvest and sell for hard currency. The grubs are the largest in the world and are over two inches long. In the Amazonian basin they are considered a prized food. They have their own flavor, taste greasy, a cross between fatty bacon and tripe. The fat is used in cooking and in traditional medicines. It sells at a premium in local open air markets. Amazonian tribes have been eating them since the beginning of time. The discussion about the project revolves around hurtles that must be overcome. It’s a group effort and everyone wants to share in the profits, but there’s a reluctance to participate with labor to construct a facility or help plant trees and harvest the grubs. Tunki is spearheading the project and expresses frustration that simply trying to get everyone to provide a copy of their identification and sign the contract is a challenge.

Live palmetto grub

Tunki showing me how to eat a live grub

Manny de could only eat half of one, they were very filling

(tasted like chicken . . . he, he, he)

The topic changes to Ecuadorian politics and the upcoming presidential election. They’re concerned that President Rafael Correa wants to stay in office indefinitely, as Tunki said, “Like Hugo Chavez.” There’s agreement among the Shuar that they are not going to vote for Correa, but rather support an indigenous candidate from another tribe, a Quechua. He’s a doctor and current mayor of a medium size city in the Andes. The Shuar do not agree with some of the recent laws and initiatives that Correa supported, for example giving fines for jaywalking, and legalizing gay marriage. Tunki told me, “Homosexuality doesn’t exist in the Shuar culture and is frowned upon.” I suppose if a Shuar is gay, they leave the community and jungle, and move to the large cities where it’s more accepted. Miguel and his family visited for about an hour and half. When they got up to leave, hand shakes and hugs sent them on their way. Margo retired to bed. Tunki and I were left alone. I asked questions about creation myths and legends. Tunki shared what he knew from oral histories his grandfather and father told him.

Shuar community members

Tunki playing with his kids

(note the bottle of chicha for the young one)

Creation Myth of the Moon

The Shuar worship the moon as a spirit, not a god. The moon spirit is named “Killa”, a male. Before there was a moon the earth was dark at night, no illumination. Killa lived in the jungle with his sister “Filuku”. During the day Killa respected his sister, but at night under the cover of darkness he snuck into her hammock and made love to her. Because of the blackness, Filuku didn’t know her lover. She wanted to know, so she prepared an intoxicant and left it by her hammock. After her brother made love to her, he drank the concoction and passed out. He was by the hammock in the morning and now Filuku knew the “secret”. Desponded, Killa made a ladder to the heavens to escape her and his embarrassment. He climbed, she went after him, she fell, he continued, the ladder came apart, he in the heavens, her below on earth. He transformed into the moon of today. When the moon is full, we can see the dark stains of tears on his face. Filuku stayed on earth, alone, crying. During a full moon, Filuku sings to the moon with pain in her heart, and all the animals in the jungle, including men and women, are affected both by the bright light and sad song.

Butterfly camouflaged to blend in with its surroundings

Closer examination. I wonder if it's eatable?

(the butterfly was not harmed and released)

Creation of the Universe

There is nothing like in the Christian bible where the universe was created in six days and on the seventh the Creator rested. Tunki said, “The Shuar believe that humanity has always existed.” He explained, “There was a time when all living things were humans, but by their good or bad behavior, Arutam the Creator, converted them into different animals and plants. This is the reason we consider them our brothers and sisters. We believe in one Supreme Being, Arutam. Our idea of the universe is based on our mythology which is present in daily activities. Arutam is master of life and death. His symbol is water. His spirit lives in waterfalls, and we consider them sacred. The true soul is conceived under the physical form of blood, that’s why bleeding signifies losing the soul. Our life revolves around our garden and plants. We live our life outdoors. In the garden and outside you have direct contact with nature. The garden is the source of food, sacred plants and medicine.”

Pineapple growing in the garden

Front and backside of a medicinal plant grown in the garden

Fruit from the cacao tree: the seeds are the basis for chocolate

Dried cacao beans ready to be worked into chocolate

Fresh papaya from the garden

This wild fruit is sweet and reminded me of cotton candy

Ayahuasca: The Most Sacred Plant

Ayahuasca is a hallucinant plant used as a ritual sacrament to induce “visions”. It is an integral part of the Shuar culture, through which one can enter direct contact with Arutam, the Supreme Being. In the vision, Arutam reveals the value and reason for existence, and gives strength to undertake one’s purpose in life. Tunki said, “The plant is sacred and the ceremony has energy, power, and can cleanse negative energy. It allows one to have visions that foretell the future. The scared plant can cure one of ill feelings, restore vitality and positive energy. It is not a plant that can be disrespected. All plants are put here to be used to heal and sustain our lives. It’s an ancient ceremony handed down from generation to generation.” He has been practicing the ritual for fifteen years and asked me if I was interested in taking some. I told him not on this occasion, maybe in the future when I’m better prepared. He said he understood.

Sacred Ayahuasca plant

Tunki and daughter Nunkui building a traditional Shuar dwelling

Working on the roof: all materials come from the jungle.

Tunki plans to bring people interested in Ayahuasca and conduct the

ritual sacrament in the hut

Because of Ayahuasca’s proven curing and healing effects, Tunki wants to give it to the world. He would like to travel to the USA and share his “medicine”, but doesn’t have the funds or contacts to make it happen. In one of his visions, he saw foreign travelers helping him with invitations to visit, so he could bring his “cure” to help people in the USA. He said taking the medicine is not pleasant. It has a bitter taste and can make one vomit. He elaborated, “You need to be open to the vision. You need to ask the sacred spirit of the Ayahuasca to guide you and help you find the answers you seek. Not everyone can be helped. Some people are just not open to the spirit of the sacred plant.”

Myth of How the Shuar Obtained Fire

Before time itself, the Shuar didn’t have fire. The Ayahuasca plant helped the Shuar obtain fire. The plant was imprisoned in a cave where rock doors opened and closed in an unregulated cycle. Inside was a constant fire stoked by a spirit that didn’t want the Shuar to have fire. The plant lit a flame with its sap from the burning fire. The plant escaped from the cave when the rock doors opened and ignited a dry tree. The Shuar saw this beacon and came with dry tree branches, lit them and took them back to their communities. This sacred plant helped the Shuar. They are forever grateful and will always remember that fire was offered to them as a gift by the Ayahuasca.

Even with a trail, one can easily get lost in the jungle

A sharp machete and rubber boots are essential in the tropical forest

Legend of the Great Flood

On my last night, Tunki pulled out a guitar that an Argentine traveler had given him. He played some songs from Atahualpa Yupanqui (I highly recommend obtaining his music), an Argentine indigenous songwriter, guitarist and singer. The Argentine friend taught Tunki the songs. It was a spectacular performance with outstanding renditions. After four or five songs, Tunki ended the recital with a Shuar song.

Tunki playing the guitar and singing about the great flood

He played a slow, lamenting melody on the guitar and sang lyrics in Shuar. The song was a legend of a great flood. It involved a man who was married, but captivated by another woman who changed into a snake. The Shuar man, his daughter, and the serpent in a basket with a lid, climbed the tallest palmetto tree when it started to rain. The deluge continued until the whole jungle was underwater except for the one palmetto tree. All living things were destroyed.

After the flood receded, the only remaining humans and the one small snake came down the tree and repopulated the jungle. With his new family, the man told them to never look in the basket. One day his new spouse did, found the serpent and killed it. When the man returned and discovered the snake died, he left his home and went to the lake where he had met the snake and jumped in. He went underwater and transformed into an anaconda. The Shuar revere and honor the anaconda as being the founder of the “new world” created after the great flood.

Flora of the "new world"

Tropical butterfly in the "new world"

Walking stick of the "new world"

Time to Leave

My last night was special. I took part in cultural practices that go back to ancient times - sitting on the floor with extended family, visiting and discussing issues of the day, and drinking chicha. The evening ended with interpretations of Yupanqui’s moving songs being played for me by an indigenous Shuar. The finale was the legend of the great flood. It was mystical and enchanting. I witnessed something unique, not experienced by many outside the Shuar community.

Even though the living conditions were crude and hark back to antiquity, for example, no electricity, using the river as the toilet, bathing in a water hole, cooking in an open fire pit, chicha drinking, and being bothered by clouds of insects, it was worth making the journey and having these experiences. By western standards the Shuar have very little material wealth, but are generous with what they have to accommodate a traveler. Only having two meals a day was not sufficient for me. I had brought along some Ritz crackers, vanilla cookies, trail mix, and peanuts. I had these items as my third meal. On my last night, I offered what was left (an unopened large bag of peanuts, half a box of crackers and cookies) for a family meal. Everyone ate. We finished all the items and it was viewed as a treat.

Tunki and "my" Shuar family who hosted my visit to their community

Good bye: The home I lived in for a few days while in the Amazonian jungle

The unspoiled, pristine tropical forest of the Shuar

Tomorrow I return to “civilization”, but will always fondly remember my time with the Shuar. The once feared and fierce tribe that the Incas could not defeat, nor could the Spanish conquistadors, is today challenged by petroleum companies that want to exploit the oil resources found on Shuar territory. I’m confident that the Shuar culture, with their strong beliefs in myths, ritual, and community, will survive and sustain their existence living in harmony with nature and the Supreme Being. After all, there are still Shuar deep in the Amazonian jungle who practice "headhunting" and shrink the heads of their enemies.