Help the Shipibo Regenerate from the Pandemic

Dear donors and friends of the Shipibo people,

We hope you had a great start into this new year. Since we last wrote to you, our campaign has helped Asomashk to strengthen the ties and relationship of key Shipibo actors and organizations, as well as setting their priorities for the next five years as an organization.

While the focus of the first year of the project was on sending intercultural health brigades to faraway Shipibo communities, the recent months were more openly about fostering unity among different Shipibo leaders and organizations. Since October, Asomashk continued to hold 2-day gatherings every month. These spiritual retreats are organized with the objective to generate a space for reflection on the use and practice of their ancestral medicine and its cultural empowerment, seeking to create unity among the leader of the Shipibo-Konibo people. During the gatherings ancestral medicinal practices are applied such as purging (purga), typical inhalation (rëpoti), flower baths and therapeutical massages, before culminating in an ayahuasca ceremony. The large majority of the most important political and cultural Shipibo organization were represented in the gatherings, including COSHICOX, ORAU, REDCIP-UCAYALI, OJIRU, ACITCJIA, SUTE BILINGÜE, and others, including youth representatives. As such, Asomashk continues to advocate for and create unity among the Shipibo people.

At the end of last year, the first five-year cycle since the inception of Asomashk came to an end. The board had served out its term, and new elections had to be programmed for January, to elect a new board for the next five years. Asomashk´s annual congress was held on January 13^th, during which the outgoing board reported back from their 5-year period, both on financial and thematical issues, evaluating both the achievements and the challenges ahead.

The assembly then went on to elect a new board of directors. While the president was reelected, other new board members complete the new leadership. Furthermore, the congress debated the roadmap for the next five years, defining 10 key areas Asomashk aims to work on, including women and gender, rights, territory, intercultural education, indigenous health, youth, culture, etc. Ambitious project ideas and aspirations were presented under each topic, such as the creation of an intercultural hospital, the continuation of the intercultural health brigades to distant communities, food security and water sanitation projects, more scientific studies of Shipibo medicinal plants, and the continuation of the cultural empowerment campaign, among others.

Finally, it´s worth mentioning that throughout the last two years, thanks to your generous support, this campaign has continued to support a weekly radio program called “Jakon Shinan Joi – Cultural Orientation”, which aims at the strengthening and revitalization of the Shipibo-Konibo culture, by broadcasting topics on Shipibo customs, music, singing, art, history, food, myths, and legends.

We are determined to continue this crowdfunding campaign until achieving our campaign target, and support Asomashk in their goal to foster unity among the Shipibo-Konibo people. Your backing of Asomashk is crucial, and we are greatly thankful for your ongoing support.

On behalf of ASOMASHK

Chaikuni Institute & Temple of the Way of Light