Entheo-tourism in Iquitos
By Nicholas Saunders
We arrived in the jungle city of Iquitos after 28 hours of travel, and straight away were taken to visit a shaman.
He was drunk, but pleased to see us and keen to answer questions. He explained that there were two types of shaman in the Amazon,
curanderos and
brujos. Brujos learned the same skills but they concentrated on magic and curses rather than healing like curanderos. But brujos can also heal, and curanderos also have a bad side: good and evil are opposites, but also reflections of each other. Later we learnt that the term 'shaman' came from Siberia and that 'brujo' was used historically without negative connotation. Locally the word 'curandero' was used, with the term 'banco' used for experienced elders.
This curandero was very keen to give us a session (for $50 each), and showed us his 'temple'. It was a back shed separated from his house by a small yard occupied by a pig and the outside WC. Inside it was very dark with a low roof, and had a kind of altar with a crucifix, some kitsch 'holy pictures' and various morbid things including a human skull and a crocodile skull. I did not like the feel of it at all, and refused his invitation although we had been told that his ayahuasca was excellent.
Later my intuition was confirmed when we interviewed a local woman of about thirty who had attended one of his sessions. When the ayahuasca took effect, she became aware that evil spirits were trying to enter her vagina, attempting to psychically rape her, and was grateful that she had worn black to protect herself. She knew that the curandero was aware, if not the cause, of what she felt and was trying to seduce her. The only other participant went outside to the WC and did not come back, afterwards telling her that he felt unable to do so; meanwhile she felt scared but unable to leave. She spent the session fighting off the sexual invasion, and when it ended the curandero scolded her for wearing black, at the same time congratulating her on being so strong.
We heard many more stories of corrupt curanderos taking advantage of people, particularly white women seekers. Local people did not regard curanderos as holy men. They were simply people who had learned some skills, and that included how to enter the spirit world. Like present day vicars, many of them make their living through providing services but without having spiritual powers. Those who have are not always good: they may use their powers to harm or heal according to what they are paid to do. The reality is a far cry from the myth of uncorrupt curanderos who do not accept money: they are either inaccessible or don't welcome visitors.
What it boils down to is this: there are tour operators who hire shamans and facilities, then put together a package in much the same way that others arrange skiing holidays. The result is actually far more palatable to people who are sympathetic to New Age ideals, are worried about disease and don't like mosquitos. There are several reasonably comfortable facilities which can he hired from river boats to cabins in the jungle, all equipped with mosquito nets and cooks who know what foreigners like to eat.
Advertised tours may lack romance, but they do provide most seekers with what they really want: to have the opportunity of a spiritual experience in reasonable comfort without being robbed or abused. It is much more likely that you will be satisfied by people organising such tours from your own culture who can identify with your needs. We spoke to a number of participants from several different organisations who were still satisfied when we followed them up months later.
Love magic
Iquitos is a large port on the Amazon, but without road connections to the rest of Peru. For generations men have gone off to work in the jungle while leaving their women behind. Inevitably, curanderos were asked to help wives whose men did not return or husbands whose wives had taken up with other men, and so the tradition of 'love magic' flourished. For the same reasons, Iquitos has a reputation for women being sexually independent, and in fact they freely flirt with visiting foreigners.
We interviewed a Canadian in his forties who was having an affair with a 16 year old local girl. Once, she had left him and he saw her with another man. "I told the curandero that I was jealous and asked him to help me. He asked me if I wanted him to get rid of the other man and I said 'Yes'. I gave him $50 and he was never seen again. It was as though he had been eliminated, and it makes me scared to think what I may have done."
Cultural differences
It is important to realise that accepted local values contrast with our own. Many people go for instant reward regardless of the consequences, and regard it as OK to cheat someone who has more than yourself. We met someone who had employed a team of men to look after some valuable animals, only to find them butchered for meat as soon as he turned his back: the men chose to make some quick cash even though it meant losing long term jobs. Then there was a curandero whose benefactor had arranged a tour to the USA where he was to hold a series of ayahuasca workshops, something he had longed to do. However, he could not resist spending the money he had been given for the ingredients on alcohol and ruined the tour by bringing an inactive brew.
The next thing to realise is that the Peruvians (or Ecuadorians or Brazilians) who deal with tourists are sophisticated people. They are well aware of 'The Celestine Prophecy Syndrome' * that you may be on the lookout for a signal from a stranger to lead you to a shaman * and will try to fulfil your hopes. However, their choice is likely to be a relative or whoever gives them the most commission, since their motivation is no more noble than if they were helping you find someone to have sex with. In spite of this, many punters are satisfied simply because they have no other entheogenic experience to compare with.
Finally, there are some cultural differences that apply specifically to shamanism. Like the witches of medieval Europe, local people regard curanderos with respect for their supernatural powers but not for their integrity. Then there is a very different attitude to illness. Curanderos see illness as the result of a spell put on the victim, usually by a brujo, and any cure involves removing that spell. The strength of the spell depends on the power of the person who cast it, and to remove it requires more power. A very persistent disease, therefore, can only be cured by a very powerful curandero.
Do it yourself
If you want to arrange your own group, you can hire out the facilities in Iquitos. There is a venue specially built for the purpose called Sacha Mama which is hired out for groups of people. It is owned by a man named Francisco Montes who has spent time living with a tribe and can offer a choice of curanderos including a user of San Pedro cactus. He is not a shaman but often takes part in the rituals himself wearing a long white robe, and charms people by anointing them with flower water. Sacha Mama has very nice simple accommodation in the jungle by a stream, with a circle among trees for rituals. But it is so near the city that some workshop leaders have made it appear more remote by leading their groups to it via a long walk in the jungle!
There is one 'shaman' who has his own facilities: Augustine Rivas. Various groups of people book him and his entire encampment. The groups are usually brought from North America by a leader who prepares people beforehand and acts as an intermediary with Augustine. His place is a few hours boat ride down from Iquitos and is quite extensive with nice buildings made of local materials, providing the experience of being right in the jungle yet safe. Although Augustine has the reputation of having an affair with a woman from nearly every group, he is highly regarded and appreciated by most of his participants.
Although tours need booking in advance, it is also practical to arrive in Iquitos without a booking and shop around, but this is where you have to be careful. The most obvious trap is to be ripped off by phoney shamans, but your loss would be far greater if you were abused by a powerful curandero.
There are also many curanderos who hold ayahuasca sessions every Friday night for local people, the true ethnic 'shamans'.
We attended one in the suburbs of Iquitos. The curandero's house had a sign advertising his services and prices alongside a picture of Jesus, his favourite football team and a bare breasted blonde pin up! The session, called La Purga (purge) was attended by people with a physical illness and although he sang icaros they were uninspiring: still, it would provide an experience more genuine than many tourists would find by asking a taxi driver, and for only $5 or $10.
Source:
http://csp.org/nicholas/A52.html