Description
Cahuinarí Rapé | Queen of the Water Rapé | Colombia | #128
This Cahuinarí rapé is part of our master rapé collection. We have several rapé masters that make unique, and exclusive blends. This specific mix is from Colombia where our dear friend Jairo has visited several indigenous tribes in search for the best blends.
This Rapé is made in a very remote indigenous community called the Miraña people. This Feminine blend contains the ash of açaí berries & flowers. In the Miraña tribe, this Cahuinarí rapé is used mostly by women when doing handicraft work because they say it improves their focus and has a stimulating effect. Queen of the Water Cahuinarí rapé takes its name because of the presence of Victoria regia (Victoria amazonica) flowers in the blend. Victoria regia being the emblematic giant lotus plant native to the amazon region.
Victoria amazonica is known as the Queen of the Water, and it is found in shallow ponds, streams, and lakes. According to local legend, the water lily was once a star. It fell from the sky on the water and changed into a flower.
This well balanced and subtle blend contains mapacho (Nicotiana rustica) , heliconia flowers (Heliconia sp.), acai berries (Euterpe oleracea) and Kapok tree (Ceiba petandra) ash.
Queen of the Water Rapé is made in a very remote indigenous community called Miraña people. This Rapé is used mostly by women when engaged in handicraft work and also when they are going through childbirth and during family gatherings.
Miraña People
The Miraña indigenous group is located in the Colombian province also called department of Amazonas between the middle Caquetá river and the main tributary of the Cahuinarí river where the Cahuinarí National Natural Park is located. In this area, the Miraña coexist with members of other ethnic groups such as Huitoto, Bora, Yukuna, Tariano, Tanimuka, Matapí, Makuna, Cubeo, Letuama, Nukak, among others. The Miraña indigenous group is made up of 274 people, of which 52.1% are men and 47.9% are women.
This community is part of the so-called Vaupés cultural complex, whose peoples share different cultural elements such as history, social organization, myths and other constituent elements of a common worldview. The Miraña language belongs to the Bora linguistic family.
Açaí berries and Flowers
This fruit species was one of the first to be domesticated by amazon people and thanks to its high antioxidant content açaí berries have many potential health benefits. They’re loaded with powerful plant compounds. Miraña people share the vision with the neighboring tribes, that special flowers can share with us their vibrational wisdom and healing properties.
What is Rapé?
Rapé, pronounced ‘ha-pey’, is a traditional snuff used by various indigenous tribes of South America, predominantly from the tribal people of Brazil and Perú. The finely ground powder is blown into each nostril through a bone or bamboo pipe called a ‘Tepi’. Each tribe has its own formula and is ceremoniously prepared by specific members of the tribe. Traditional Rapés contain a ground blend of plants, tree barks, seeds, and ash. Among the different types of ashes used, the most common come from tsunu, Murici, Yarumo and Inga native trees.
Connecting to the Spirit of Nature
In some tribes, it is women who gather the ingredients and make Rapé while in others it is prepared by the tribe’s reputable healer. The snuff is typically made in small batches according to the specific needs of the person being treated or the ceremony’s occasions . These snuffs are very powerful, profoundly healing and cleansing on many levels. The use of Rapé aims to restore our connection to the spirit of nature while invoking power to bring about physical and spiritual healing.
Tepi or Kuripe
Traditionally, Rapé is administered through either the ‘Tepi’ or ‘Kuripe’. The Tepi applicator is used when one person administers the snuff and another receives it. The ‘Tepi’ is a long blow pipe that connects the nostril of the receiver with the mouth of the blower, who then blows the rapé into the nose of the receiver. The ‘Kuripe’ is for self-application. The V-shaped applicator connects the nostril to the mouth when blowing the snuff into the nose.
Opening the Body’s Energy Channels
In general, the tribes believe Rapé facilitates the flow and clearing of the body’s energy channels known as ‘chakras’ which facilitates a sense of grounding and connection to the earth. Some think it frees the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies from disease. It is also said that using Rapé opens what is called the third-eye chakra, can decalcify the pineal gland and clears mental fog and confusion. It eliminates negative thought patterns , but mainly brings back our breath awareness and expands our spiritual feelings.
Read more:
Step by step guide to using Rapé.
