Kuripe, Tepi & Hapeh

The Caapi Kuripes and tepis are made by artisan Iván Zambrano from Mocoa in Putumayo/Colombia.
He works with wood since many years creating kuripes, tepis and flutes. Letting the vibration of the wood speak when creating the instruments.
The Kuripes are made from the Caapi vine. Banisteriopsis caapi, the soul vine from South America has a long history of entheogenic (connecting to spirit) use and its status as a "plant teacher" among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest.

In March 2022 I visited the Healing center of the Yawanawá village Mutum at the Gregorio river in Acre, Brazil. In the healing tradition of the Yawanawa, Hapeh is a medicine prepared with the ashes of at the Tsunu tree. It's a snuff that traditionally is passed to another person through a Tepi or through self usage with a Kuripe. It is a medicine that has been part of their culture for as long as they know, used by their ancestors far before any westerners came to their land.

Hushahu, together with her sister, were the first woman entering the shamanic study in the story of their people. To elaborate hapeh the Yawanawa traditionally use the ashes of the Tsunu tree. Tsunu is a tall and majestic tree, one of their most sacred trees. The hapeh is uplifting and comes with healing power and spiritual force, it aids to energetic cleansing. 

The hapeh is from Mutum village on the Gregorio river in Acre/Brazil, elaborated by Hushahu herself, Yamarume, her nephew, and Rasu, paje Tata´s grandson. And another Tsunu hapeh elaborated by Mew, a spiritual leader of the Matrixa Village with very special study on healing herbs.

Kuripe, Tepi & Hapeh