Huitoto Silver Light Rapé

Description

Experience the Sacred Effects of Huitoto Silver Light Rapé

Indulge in the traditional snuff of the Huitoto tribe with Huitoto Silver Light Rapé. This classic rapé is made by a Huitoto Healer using the Yarumo plant, which is known for its respiratory benefits. The leaves of the white yarumo enhance the sacred effects of any other plant mixed in the rapé blend, according to the shamans of the Amazonian people.

Discover the Huitoto Tribe

The Muina-Huitoto tribe is located in the lower Amazon region of Peru and Colombia, deep inside the Amazon Rainforest. With a present-day population of no more than 6000, they live mainly scattered in small communities around the Putumayo and Caquetá watersheds in Colombia and a small fraction in the Peruvian Amazon. When we visited the Huitoto tribe in 2017, we spoke to Victoria, a female shaman who shared with us the tribe’s medicine and how they use rapé.

What is Rapé?

Rapé is a traditional snuff used by various indigenous tribes of South America, predominantly tribal people from Brazil and Peru. The snuff blends contain a ground mixture of plants, tree bark, seeds, and ash. The fine powder is blown into each nostril through a bone or bamboo pipe called a ‘Tepi’ or ‘Kuripe.’ The Tepi applicator is a long blow pipe that connects the nostril of the receiver to the mouth of the person that administers the snuff. The Kuripe is for self-application. The V-shaped applicator connects the nostril to the mouth allowing the snuff to be self-blown into the nose.

The Ritual of Rapé

Each tribe has its own rapé formula, and usually, it is women who gather the ingredients. The selection, mixture, and grinding process are regarded as a ritual only to be performed by a reputable healer. The snuff is typically made in small batches according to the specific needs of the person being treated or the ceremony’s occasion.