An Indigenous People – Ashaninka Tribe

The people of Ashaninka was originally called Kampa. There are 390 communities, living on an area of 12m hectare and an additional 15m hectare natural reserve. There are about 60,000 Ashaninka living in Peru. They belong to the Aruak family of languages.
Since the time of the arrival of the first Europeans in South America, the Ashaninka have fought against invaders of their territories, first against the Conquistadores, well into the 19^th century against the exploitation of caoutchouc, and since the 1980s, the Brazilian Ashaninka have been fighting against the invasion of white Brazilians and Peruvian timber companies on their territories.
The Ashaninka are known for being proud of their culture, they love freedom and often are prepared to die in defense of their territory. The anthropologist José Pimenta marvels at their ability to combine the traditional customs and values with ideas and elements of the non-indigenous world. Another admirable characteristic is the sustainable use they make of their environment.

The “official indigenous movement” of the Ashaninka started in the mid 1980s when the timber exploitation had reached its peak in this region. José Pimenta writes that the intervention of the Funai was seen as a new era – that is as the „Era of Indigenous Rights“, which was characterized by the shaping of political ideas, the territorial fighting and the expulsion of the Whites.

Poyeni

Poyeni is a small cozy paradise counting only about 300 families. From Satipo to Poyeni it takes 2 hours by car and about 4 hours by boat. The families live together in groups, all their houses being situated on the so-called RIO TAMBO RIVER. A ten-minutes walk takes you to the top of the hill which affords a spectacular view over the river delta with its small villages. The people here are farmers, they cultivate among others the yuca from which they brew the traditional drink of the Amazon, the Masato. Masato is a very nutritious and viscous drink made of fermented yuca and it is very wholesome. The landscape is characterized by its many coconut plantations and colorful flower nurseries. The Native Indians also hunt game like boar and big cats or they fish. They do not kill animals for trading but only for their own need.

Community life is very important, and many crafts like embroidery and fabric painting contribute to the many festivities of the Indians. This atmosphere permeated by the sense of togetherness is ideal for experiencing the transformation of body and soul. In Poyeni we will celebrate the Ayahuasca ritual and we will be drawn into life’s deepest levels and linked to the innermost levels of nature, universe and ourselves.