YAWANAWA NOVEMBER 2021 Event 1

For many years, Isku Kua has been supporting his father chief Nixiwaka in the administration of tribal affairs. Today he is chief of Nova Esperança (“New Hope”) village, with a population of 300 people. Isku Kua represents the young generation and has already been through the higher spiritual initiations of the tradition. He is also a talented musician and guitar player, who adapted many traditional songs to the guitar, and travels frequently to Europe and the United States to share his people’s culture and spirituality. Isku’s knowledge of his culture gets deeper every day as a result of his commitment to the studies and his conduction of the Uní ceremony impresses even Yawanawa elders.

Yka is the middle daughter of Biraci
Nixiwaka and Putanny. Since a very young
age, Ykashahu has been following the
footsteps of her parents, and nowadays
travels around Brazil and abroad to share
her people’s culture and spirituality. With an
amazing voice and beautiful guitar playing,
she represents the talented younger
Yawanawa generation, as well as the
incredible feminine power of the tribe.

Vari Txanú is the one responsible, along with Isku Kua, for the preparation of the medicine (Ayahuasca – Uní) at the main Yawanawa village, Nova Esperança. Vari Txanu has completed the highest initiations and diets of the Yawanawa people, such as the Muká diet, has deep knowledge of the medicine plants and provides great support for Isku’s leadership at Nova Esperança. Vari Txanu is ex-husband of Hushahu and was trained and recognized by the great medicine man (pajé) Tatá.

Keyánî is Txanu’s wife and a great singer of the Yawanawa’s traditional songs. Keyaní is a recognized craftswoman and painter. Keyánî is part of the movement of the younger generation the Yawanawa but chose to study only the traditional songs and not the ones with the guitar, having learned with her father who has also completed the diet of Muká.

Shauma is son of the great Yawanawa
chief Biraci Nixiwaká and is also part of
the young generation of Yawanawa spiritual
representatives who are studying their
tradition in a profound way and thus
guaranteeing their protection in the
strongest way possible, which is by means
of their culture and spirituality.
Shauma is a great musician and among
the main individuals of Nova Esperança
Village Isku Kua can count on when he
conducts their ceremonies.

Keneihu is a young Yawanawá originally
from Mutum village, daughter of Chief
Matsini, and now lives in New Hope Village
together with her husband Shauma.
Keneihu is very skilled on the guitar,
has a beautiful and strong voice typical
of Yawanawá women, and has been
preparing to represent her people spiritually
following the traditional Yawanawá training.

Son of Naynawa, the master of the frog vaccine Kambo and of the traditional plants, Tsâtsârua Yawanawa is a very talented musician and part of the strong new generation of Yawanawa who make the elders proud for their dedication in the studies of the traditional songs and Yawanawa spirituality. He also works with the kenes, the sacred designs, expressing Yawanawa spirituality in beautiful paintings.

Yawakanah is Isku Kua’s daughter and a very
dedicated student of Yawanawa tradition.
At early age is already accomplished in
percussion and the guitar and is expected
by the elders of the Yawanawa nation to be
among the main spiritual representatives of
the Yawanawa of the new generation.