Fri Nov 8, 2024 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

Online, Zoom

Join us for a free meeting with elder Don Basilio, Margot Payaguaje, and Josep Calbo as they share Siekopai traditions and discuss an inspiring project already underway: the construction of an authentic, traditional Yajé house. This sacred space will be dedicated to Siekopai youth and elders, offering a place to practice their millennia-old traditions and preserve them for future generations. The construction is a labor-intensive effort that brings together community members, young and old.

Yajé, similar to Ayahuasca, is a sacred Amazonian plant medicine used by indigenous communities like the Siekopai for spiritual healing, personal insight, and cultural connection. Its ceremonies, led by experienced Yajé practitioners (shamans), offer profound healing and a way to preserve ancestral knowledge.

Today, preserving Yajé traditions is essential, as these practices face threats from globalization and environmental pressures. Building a dedicated Yajé house will provide a vital space for Siekopai youth and elders to practice and pass down their heritage, strengthening cultural identity and ecological wisdom for future generations.