Miguel's daughter and granddaughter

Natemamu
Miguel Chiriap organizes a traditional Natemamu-ritual from 21 August to 30 August 2012. The Natemamu-ritual is a deep cleansing ritual that invokes a healing process on all levels of your being. The ritual has been part of Shuar cultural heritage for thousands of years and involves drinking large quantities of a tea made from Natem, for several days in a row. It is accompanied by a trek into the rainforest to the sacred waterfalls of the Shuar and other activities that support your personal process. Other plants, like Tobacco, are also used in the process.

A story and slideshow about the Natemamu that was organised in September 2011 can be found here, the one of January 2011 here, and the one of July 2010 here.

Program
The Natemamu-ritual starts with an opening-ceremony on Tuesday evening August 21st. The next day the trek to the sacred waterfalls will begin. During the trek healer Miguel Chiriap will explain to you about the medicinal plants and animals that you encounter, and how they are used in Shuar healing techniques. You then bathe in the waterfalls to cleanse yourself from stuck emotions by handing them over to Tsunki, the Shuar deity of water. During the trek the extracts of sacred medicinal plants, especially Tobacco, are used to help you in your personal process. If weather permits, you will stay overnight at the waterfall and sleep in the rainforest. After returning from the trek, the core of the Natemamu-ritual will start. This involves a minimum of four days of drinking large amounts of the cleansing tea and eating a specific diet of only healthy foods. The closing-ceremony will be on Thursday August 30th so that you can be back in Quito on Saturday night.

Additional Program in Macuma
Directly after the Natemamu Miguel Chiriap and his family organise an additional five-days program for those who would like to learn more about their medicinal plants. During this program you and the family travel deep into the pristine rainforest of Macuma to visit sacred caves that the ancestors of the Shuar used for ceremonies, and to visit another sacred waterfall of the Shuar. At that waterfall you will do a Tobacco-ritual together with the Shuar that live in the proximity. The other days will be filled with the opportunity to enhance your relationship with the sacred plants, specifically with Datura (Maikua).

Miguel Chiriap

Benefits
On a physical level the Natemamu-ritual will release toxins and tensions from your body. As a result your body becomes more flexible and more relaxed. Your senses will become sharper and most people report that their eyesight, hearing and smell increases during the cleansing process. On an emotional level stuck emotions get dissolved which results in more clarity about your life. On a mental level you can release mental concepts that no longer benefit you, resulting in improved concentration and focus. On a spiritual level you will become deeply connected with your essence of being. The Natemamu-ritual is like a complete reset of your system which enables you to make progression in your daily life. It also enhances other spiritual and life practices you may already be engaged in, such as meditation and yoga.

The Family
For ten days you will stay with the family of Miguel Chiriap. This indigenous Shuar family lives according to traditional values and customs. Their role is to support you in your process by providing unlimited healthy foods in line with a specific diet, except during the waterfall-ritual, and assisting in the Natemamu-ritual wherever possible. Their way of living enhances the process that you are in by showing you an alternative way of living and relating to this world. Their support is an essential part of the Natemamu-ritual. Additionally, other Shuar-shamans and Shuar from nearby villages will visit some parts of the ritual to support you.

Don Luiz, a Shuar elder
who helps in preparing the tea

Directions
Miguel and his family live near Gualaquiza, in the south-east of Ecuador. It is relatively easy to get from Quito to Gualaquiza, and it will take you about one and a half days by bus. If you do not want to travel by yourself: a group will leave from hotel Casa Helbling in Quito at 8:00AM on Sunday-morning the 19th of August. More detailed information on how to get to Gualaquiza can be found here.

What to bring?
Please bring at least a sleeping bag, a small mat to sleep on, a bathing suit, a pair of rubber boots, a knife, a flashlight and a poncho. The family will cook for you but if you have special dietary requirements, then please inform us beforehand. It is recommended to travel lightly.

Participants
Anyone who would like to make a profound change to his or her life using the Natemamu-ritual, and to share in Miguel’s love for life and for nature, is welcome. Because of the positive mindset and the perseverance required to participate in the ritual, especially the trekking, it is recommended that only those who are serious about bringing change to their lives come to visit. In the Natemamu-ritual you will be busy most of the day with the preparations for the drinking of the tea in the evening. Although the Natemamu-ritual is a very different ritual from normal Natem-ceremonies, where the concentrated form of Natem is taken, it is helpful if you have some experience with Natem-ceremonies before you participate in this Natemamu-ritual.

When is the last time you hugged a monkey?

When was the last time
that you hugged a monkey?

Costs and Reservation
The costs for participating in this Natemamu-ritual are US$ 1.095. This includes basic lodging at Miguel’s house, healthy food and participation in the ceremonies. It excludes your own travel costs and additional lodging. To reserve a place in the ritual you are kindly asked to register yourself with Paul, who assists Miguel with the coordination for this ritual, at paul@tsunki.com. Upon registration, Paul will send you the travel details and other information about the Natemamu-ritual.

If you would like to send this information to a friend, you can find a brochure here.