AYAHUASCA IN THE TRIPLE BORDER
Shamanism lives on with a thousand faces where the borders of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru meet, in the heart of the Upper Amazon. That age-old remedy, ayahuasca—an extraordinary treasure of human knowledge—reveals itself here in astonishing diversity: ceremonial Indigenous healers, professional curanderos, and meditative hermits all carry on the gifts of a rainforest that still resists the global appetite. This series was originally published in Cáñamo magazine.
The Legacy of Father Sun
Joyful, humble, and wise, the last Cocama ayahuasquero of the Colombian Amazon has no one to inherit his path: neither his children nor grandchildren have wanted to learn. Faithful to his grandfather’s teachings, he prepares his remedy without chacruna, the visionary companion to ayahuasca. “I’m interested in healing, not hallucination.” Will another original expression of Indigenous knowledge vanish with him?
The Eternal War
He tried to renounce the perilous mission of healing, but the “plant” wouldn’t allow it: combating illness is his fate. He says he was a natural born doctor in a previous life; in this one, he was reborn with the gift. A solemn professional, Bides devotes his life to this “infinite medicine,” ever vigilant against the constant threat of sorcery and satanic forces.
The Perfumes of the Grandmother
For sixty years she has waged war against the spirits that bring sickness. Her shamanic wisdom is a mixture of the rainforest, the Andean highlands, and even the fervor of evangelism. After an extraordinary odyssey, she found her place in Leticia, where she planted the seeds of a new healing tradition—one unknown in these lands until her arrival: the art of the perfumeros.
Don Pancho and Company
Restless girls, hurried tourists, mystical neighbors, and lively elders share one thing in common: the custom of taking ayahuasca with the most veteran master of the tri-border region. Don Pancho’s home is a healing center for locals and the favored destination for tourists seeking psychonautic experiences.
Learning to Be People
Miguel Cárdenas cured his epilepsy with ayahuasca. He paddled down the Putumayo River. He was a disciple of great Indigenous shamans; today he is a generous master. He lives deep in the jungle, outside the “system.” And he challenges: “City people aren’t really human—they’re multiplied parasites eating away at the Earth, destined to disappear.”