Shamanic visions of the Amazon

Biá, from the Tatuyo tribe, explains that his design represents a scene of cosmic fertility. At the center it is the sun and above it is a snake design motif of yellow diamond-shaped elements split in half. To the right of the snake appears a row of dots signifying impregnation, and a group of multi- colored diamonds representing women. The two yellow double-scroll motifs to the left of the snake are male symbols. Below the sun are painted wooden stools that indicate a gathering of men whose ritual songs are meant to further the regeneration of the universe.

The bottom panel shows mankind’s first dance; for the first time the Tukano use headdresses of macaw feathers and arm feather-pendants, and they paint their bodies. The red and blue dots indicate their generative energy. The third band, formed of vertical zigzag lines and curlicues, is the ‘thought’ that arises from the dancer’s minds. The band of horizontal brown hourglass shapes indicates the painted decoration of the first maloca and represents the Snake-Canoe, bringer of the yuruparí trumpets. The top panel shows three Masters of Animals separating the fauna into land- (left) and water- (right) animals. The feather pattern over the animals is a celestial roof high above the Milky Way. The top band shows a series of arcs, each one representing the sun.

Bodé from the Southern Barasana tribe, refers to a developmental sequence seen in a narcotic trance. At the right bottom corner is the yajé plant; the first light pattern perceived by him is the sun, here shown as a small blue arc. ‘Toward midnight’ that is, after about five or six cups of yajé, appears the large yellow-red line and, on top of it, a ‘blue trail’ leading between yellow-red wavy lines. The feather-shaped elements, are branches of yajé. ‘Toward dawn’ appears the ring-shaped designs at the upper right and the vision ends with the appearance of the red ‘yajé snake’.

Yebá explains that the seven columns at the bottom of the panel are songs of different narratives of the Creation myth. The row of fork-shaped elements depicts ritual cigar-holders that are used by the men in the gatherings when two complementary exogamic groups meet and engage in a ritual dialogue. To the right is a canoe carrying some of the first human beings and their offspring and at the top is a U-shaped celestial ‘door’. The upper left shows a human figure diving downward, surrounded by the L-shaped elements that are gourd-rattles and the curlicues the ritual songs.

We see a sumi, or great sorcerer, trying to cause harm to a group of people peacefully taking ayahuasca. He is wearing a sword the color of fire. As he moves, lightning and thunder are produced. The ghosts of horrible men, women, and animals surround him. They all pass like locusts. But the sorcerer is deceived by the ‘vegetalista’, who transform themselves into wolves, drinking ayahuasca from a gourd. They are accompanied by their ‘dueñas’ (owners), wise queens of great paranormal, magical knowledge. They are protected by anacondas and by man-rucos (great beings), guardians wearing crowns of tire knives, magnetic armor, and electromagnetic belts. Behind them is a gigantic black boa, protecting the group with its hypnotic powers. (Luis Eduardo Luna y Pablo Amaringo, 1991: Ayahuasca visions).

We see the master healer and a subordinate master singing icaros, with three disciples who play musical instruments, thus increasing the effects of powerful ayahuasca dizziness. A group of angels appears, all of them vibrating to the beat of the icaro. When singing, powerful tingunas are raised, which are the colored radiations that form a circle. In that upper part there are some gold lamps hanging from chains and lights spinning around them. Three flying saucers from the Mazzarott constellation approach this great meeting to collaborate with the ‘vegetalistas’ in the cure of the patient. The characters are surrounded by circles of Shipibo-Conibo lines. Beneath the tingunas appear some medicinal plants bordering this Kabbalistic circle. (Luis Eduardo Luna, description of the untitled painting by Pablo Amaringo. Manuscript, n/d.)

Some cherubs are seen walking inside a thunderous cloud, dressed in elegant instruments, diamond swords and golden wings, radiating electrical powers against evil spiritual beings, on the extreme left. The cherubs teach the healer to press his patients and find their illness. The healers are inside a circle of Inca traces and tingunas that, like golden carpets, serve as a defense against the enemies that attack from below the earth. At the top left, various evil spirits appear: the Supay-Horse with four ears, the monster with two faces, the ram with a human face, the sea goat, the one-eyed giant with a horned helmet, the genius called Huaman-uma, the Allco-runa, very destructive, genius of the sorcerer, and at his side, the devil called Yanan-caran and the Ampi-mashu, poisonous bat. (Luis Eduardo Luna, description of the untitled painting by Pablo Amaringo. Manuscript, n/d.).

A ‘vegetalista’ and his disciples are taking ayahuasca in a house in the middle of the jungle. They sing the icaro of the shining yellow stone, or gold. By means of certain body movements they are able to visit the subterranean world where they encounter gnomes, the guardians of subterranean treasures. The colors of these gnomes are symbols that represent diamonds (white), gold (yellow), copper (red), bronze (green), silver (light blue), garnet (purple), and quartz (lilac). The ‘vegetalista’ and disciples find themselves in front of a door leading to a cave, the dwelling of the People of Fire. (Luis Eduardo Luna y Pablo Amaringo, 1991: Ayahuasca visions).