What you live there
For a week, you live in the Yawarani village, in Yawanawá territory. It is a living village, with families, children, a river and an igarapé. Daily life goes on around you. Some activities take place in the neighbouring villages of Kariani and Ushunawa.
You take part in Yawanawá ceremonies and traditional medicines, and in simple daily life in the forest. Natural meals, rest, time in nature, chants and moments of sharing are all part of the same week.
All the traditional medicines are optional. You go at your own pace.
Contact with the outside world is recent for this people, only a few generations back. They have kept their traditions, their language, their stories, their legends and their work with traditional medicines. Through their songs, their prayers and their ceremonial work, they also make the Amazon known. They are known for their art, their traditional patterns, their jewellery and their beadwork.
During the days, you can take part in village life: forest walks, body painting, traditional cooking, games, stories told by the elders, crafts, music, fishing and hunting. In the evenings, there are chants, and music around the fire. Depending on the group, these activities can happen on the day that fits the energy of the moment.
There are also clay baths, the songs and the prayers, and time spent in the forest.
Village life is simple, and the days follow the rhythm of the ceremonies and of the group. This retreat asks you to step out of your routine, slow down, and follow the rhythm of the village.
The day-by-day programme
Day 1, Friday 14 May. Arrival
- Day Arrival at the village, settling in, rest after the trip.
- Evening Welcome circle, screening of the film "O Futuro é Ancestral", group introductions and sharing of intentions. No traditional medicine on this day.
Day 2, Saturday 15 May. Opening
- Morning First session of traditional medicines.
- Day Welcome lunch.
- Afternoon Body painting, Yawanawá craft fair, meeting the village and the family.
- Evening First ceremony.
Day 3, Sunday 16 May. Sharing
- Morning Second session of traditional medicines.
- Afternoon Rest and a walk to the village farm.
Day 4, Monday 17 May. End of this first cycle
- Morning Third and last session of this cycle of traditional medicines.
- Afternoon Clay bath and traditional games in the Kariani village.
Day 5, Tuesday 18 May. Neighbouring village and traditional baths
- Morning Trip to the Ushunawa village.
- Afternoon A walk in the forest, gathering for a traditional bath, traditional baths and a traditional sweating practice.
- Evening Second ceremony.
Day 6, Wednesday 19 May. A day with the community
- Morning Rest in the Ushunawa village, return to the Yawarani village, then rest.
- Afternoon A gentler ceremony, in a circle, and community activities.
- Evening Sharing circle, integration, chants, and traditional medicines.
Day 7, Thursday 20 May. Closing
- Day Rest, a free day for the activity of your choice in the village, and preparation.
- Evening Third and final ceremony.
Day 8, Friday 21 May. Departure
- Day Leave the village for Vila de São Vicente.
This programme is provisional. The days can change with the flow of the week, the weather, the group, and each person's process, and we adapt as we go.
Practical information
Arrival and departure
You can arrive through Rio Branco or Cruzeiro do Sul, the two airports in Acre, depending on where you are coming from. Once you are in Acre, transport all the way to the village is arranged for you: the coordination of the hotels, the driver and the boat to the village. Car and boat transfers are included. Flights and hotel nights are not. There are partner hotels in Rio Branco, Tarauacá and Cruzeiro do Sul.
Arriving through Rio Branco:
- Wednesday 12 May: meet in Rio Branco, hotel night.
- Thursday 13 May: drive to Tarauacá, night in Tarauacá.
- Friday 14 May: market and last shopping, then the road to Vila de São Vicente and the boat to the village, arrival in the late afternoon.
- Friday 21 May: boat back to Vila de São Vicente, then on to Tarauacá, night in Tarauacá.
- Saturday 22 May: drive back to Rio Branco, evening visit to the old traditional market, hotel night.
- Sunday 23 May: flights home, or later.
Arriving through Cruzeiro do Sul:
- Thursday 13 May: meet in Cruzeiro do Sul, hotel night.
- Friday 14 May: drive to Vila de São Vicente, where you join the group for the boat to the village.
- Friday 21 May: boat back to Vila de São Vicente, then drive to Cruzeiro do Sul, hotel night.
- Saturday 22 May: flights home, or later.
Accommodation
Everyone sleeps in a hammock with a mosquito net, or in a camping tent. The toilets and showers are very simple, but you can shower.
Phone and internet
You are asked to disconnect during the retreat. There is no phone signal, but there is internet if you need it.
Meals
Meals are cooked for the group. The food depends on the practices of the week and is adapted to them. We eat natural foods typical of Yawanawá culture, including meat and fish.
What is included
- Car and boat transfers between Rio Branco or Cruzeiro do Sul and the village, and back.
- Accommodation in the village.
- Meals in the village, cooked for the group.
- The ceremonies and traditional medicine practices planned in the programme.
- Activities at no extra cost, including forest walks, body painting, music, and walks around the village.
- Translation by Marc, and his presence throughout the week.
What is not included
- International flights to Brazil and domestic flights to Rio Branco or Cruzeiro do Sul.
- Hotel nights in Rio Branco, Tarauacá or Cruzeiro do Sul.
- Travel or health insurance.
- Personal expenses.
- Personal equipment, such as a hammock and mosquito net, or a tent.
What to bring
The full list is sent after booking. Most of it can be bought in Tarauacá at very accessible prices.
Health recommendations
Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory to enter Indigenous territories. Get vaccinated at least fifteen days before you arrive. Proof may be requested.
This retreat takes place in Acre, in a region of the Amazon considered a malaria risk area. If you plan to travel around Brazil before or after the retreat, a preventive treatment can be relevant. This is your decision.
The retreat takes place in a remote place, with limited access to medical care. If needed, I organise help on site, transport to the nearest medical facility, and I help with the logistics of evacuation. Travel and health insurance are strongly recommended.
Health contraindications are assessed through the questionnaire and the one-to-one conversation, before booking. No traditional medicine is mandatory. You can take part in the retreat even if a health condition prevents you from joining certain activities.
Health questionnaire
Before booking, you receive a health pre-questionnaire, then you have a one-to-one conversation with me. This is to check that you are fit to take part, before any deposit is paid. The questionnaire is not filled in on this page.
Precautions
We ask for respect toward the community that welcomes you, toward the forest, and toward the guidance given during the week. That includes the schedule, the moments of silence, the spaces of the village, and the people who make the retreat possible.
Each person is responsible for their own preparation and honesty, especially regarding health.
Life in the village is simple, and the work with traditional medicines can be demanding physically, emotionally and psychologically. It helps to arrive prepared for that.
All the traditional medicines are optional. You go at your own pace, according to your readiness, your health assessment, and your own wishes.
You are asked to disconnect during the retreat.
If you feel overwhelmed during the week, that can happen. I am available throughout the stay, and the evening sharing circles are there for these moments.
After a week in a simple environment, it is better not to go straight back to excess. Practical guidance is given on food, sleep, rhythm and daily choices. There are also follow-up conversations after the retreat.
Price and booking
Price: $2,000 per person, flights not included.
What is included, and what is not, is listed above, in the practical information.
To book, we start with a discovery call, then the health questionnaire and the one-to-one conversation, then the deposit. There is no booking form on this page. 8 places are left.
A 20-minute call to talk about the retreat and see if it is right for you.