râuruH lâuqclw

uBruBrls eqtJoÁP716eqI

'JâJoldxâcru?Iuuqs âql ol uâdo plJo^\ uâpprq âlqrpâJcur âr{1 Jo Eurr{lâI'uos Áo^uoc

III^\ Áâql sd€qrâd 'noÁ qlrr\ Iuâql âJBr{s 01 âìrl plno,i\ I puB 'sâJnllncesoql gloq uI uEIIIsqs eql Jo Á8lr\ âql Euuâ^ocsrp Átu ol crsBq aJâ,r\

oJB^rf âql pu€ oqluoc âql Euorus p?r.I I sâcuârJâdxâ JBIncrlJBd o.lrl't96t puB 096I

uI âc"ld ìool ìJo^\plâg lBqI 'sâJnllnc lsâroJ uoz€tuv Jãddn Eurluurcse;âql uo r{cJBâsâJ eJotu op ol Átrunuoddo ue eazq ot petqErlap 'peldacceI 'uotEar rarrrg r1uÁzcn âql Jo suurpul oqruoC ârll Jo âJntlnc âql Ápnlsol uozsruv uur^nJâd ârll ol uollrpodxa Euol-reaÁ e eleru ol âtu pâll^urÁ.ro1srg IzJnl?N Jo rrrnâsn4 uzcrJâruv âr{l 'Jâlzl srueÁ go aldnoc y

'êIxrl leql $ usurur{s â91 Jo plJolr\ âql Jo J3^J3sqo âprslnou€ pâururuãJ 1nq 'uorluuuoJul Jo pep leerS e pa1JalloJ Álpgssaoons 1'sênulluoJ IIIIs qJrq,r 'rusruuruuqs;o acrlcad ê^rsualur JrêrD JoJ puu

..'3ut1uuqs-peâq,, Io ecrlcerd paqsrue^ Álprluassa ^\ou

Jrâql JoJ êtun leqlle snouluJ âJa^\ oJu^Jf ãqL'JonLlS unsu.tn Jo 'suerpul [o:u,r-ggg] oru,t;;eql Suoure sepuv uerlopuncã eql;o sadols Ìuêlsue pqseJoJ eql uo Lç61

pus 9ç61 ur eceld 1oo1 lsrSolodorrltuu u? su ìro,rp1ag pe8uolord tsrg Á61

Áu16 ârll EuuenocsrqI U:IIdVHC

I had been living for the better part of a year in a Conibo Indianvillage beside a remote lake off a tributary of the Río Ucayali' Myanthropological research on the culture of the Conibo had been goingwell, but my attempts to elicit information on their religion met withlittle success. The people were friendly, but reluctant to talk about thesupernatural. Finally they told me that if I really wished to learn, Imust take the shamans' sacred drink made from ayahuasca, the "soulvine." I agreed, with both curiosity and trepidation, for they warned methat the experience would be very frightening.

The next morning my friend Tomás, the kind elder of the village'went into the forest to cut the vines. Before leaving, he told me to fast:a light breakfast and no lunch. He returned midday with enoughayahuasca vines and leaves of the cawa plant to fill a fifteen gallon pot.He boiled them all afternoon, until only about a quart of dark liquidremained. This he poüred into an old bottle and left it to cool untilsunset. when he said we would drink it'

The Indians muzzled the dogs in the village so that they could notbark. The noise of barking dogs could drive a man who had takenayahuasca mad, I was told. The children were cautioned to be quiet,and silence came over the small community with the setting of the sun.

As the brief equatorial twilight was replaced by darkness, Tomáspoured about a third of the bottle into a gourd bowl and gave it to me'All the Indians were watching. I felt like Socrates amidst his Atheniancompatriots, accepting the hemlock-it occurred to me that one of thealternate names people in the Peruvian Amazon gave ayahuaJca was"the little death." I drank the potion quickly' It had a strange, slightlybitter taste. I then waited for Tomás to take his turn, but he said thathe had decided not to participate after all.

They had me lie down on the bamboo platform under the greatthatched roof of the communal house. The village was silent, except forthe chirping of crickets and the distant calls of a howler monkey deep irthe jungle.

As I stared upward into the darkness, faint lines of light appeared.They grew sharper, more intricate, and burst into brilliant colors. Sounrcame from far away, a sound like a waterfall, which grew stronger andstronger until it filled my ears.

Just a few minutes earlier I had been disappointed, sure that theayahuasca was not going to have any effect on me' Now the sound ofrushing water flooded my brain. My jaw began to feel numb, and thenumbness was moving up to my temples.

t'puunnüoc Áru lu Eurureuar :a,rod eql IIB qllÀr lpâq ol lt aEernocua

o1 'll ol ìlul ol 'llu Jo puât{ lsâJpâp Átu 'puot.r; Áu lreeq Áut 11eco1 ueEaq 1 'Eurleeq puaq Áu deal o1 uoJâ snopuâtuârl s âìutu ol puq Ipue 'auo1s o1 Eururnl âq ol pâtuaâs uãruopqe Áur 'Álsnoauullnuls 'pJo^\B eìBtu ol Álluarcgns sârlrlrqu Áru leqs.leu lou plnoc I 'Jâ^â/Ì\oq 'lqã1ur

1 su Ár1 'atoplluu uu JoJ suEIpuI âql ìss ol 'dlât{ JoJ ìsB ol qlnoulÁu 1eE 01 pârJl I 'u€âq Áur pre,nol '1seqc Áu uo ul pâsolc ssâuqunu âqlsu 'Á11enpur9 '1eads ro â^otu lou plnoc I 'alâJcuoJ ptlos ol Eutu:nl se,nll aìll IâãJ o1 uuEaq Á1,ro1s Ápoq Áru 's8e1 pue surrz Áu qlttr Etttilzl5

'qunu tutmort ara,t ÁPoq ÁuJo sârlnuâJlxa âql lBrll âJ€,t\B s?/h I 'lsât{c Áu ruo.lJ pânulluo3

^rog{nos âql âllq^\ 'luoq âql uo Áe,nu lnos Áru âìpl ol âruoJ peg eldoed pâpeât{-pJlq âql leql pus tutÁp su,n I leql uteuec Á1e1e1duoc su,r\ I 'lslâqleuB ãq ol glasÁu pâ^ârleg 1 qEnoqtlV 'luoq âql otut dn lsaqc Áru uo:;

lBoU ol uuEeq ecuassa-ÁErauo oruos 'eurrl âruus aql 1y 's8urlutud quoluurldÁEg luârcuc go spot poppâq-pJlq âql âìllun 1ou 'suzunq Jo sâIpoqâql puu sÁul anlq Jo speâtl ãql qll^\ eldoad Jo srâqlunu aE.re; 1no aleu

plnoJ I 'ìJâp âr{1 1u Á1aso1c âJotu poìool 1 sy 'Áa11et âql pJ€oq uo sâtlo^peuÁu uory Eutluuuuâ 'luâJâqlã puu paqcltd-qElq 'aJII Átu ut p:eaqJâ^â â^Bq 1 Surturs InJrlnuoq lsouJ âtll Jo 'ool 'snolcsuoc âulmâq I

'punos aqt qlt^\ âJuâpe) ut I{uoJ pus ìcuq EutlotusJBo pârpunq l?rã^âs qt1,u Áe11eE luetE e su/t\ 11 leql /|\3s puB punos

Surqsr,ts cruqlÁqr € pr?âq I 'âtu â^oqe quoJ puu ìJBq pâl?og Á1tuaEl?oq âql su 'Á11enper9 '1res arunbs u su,tr sdtqspltu? lâS 'dtqs Euqtl

p Jo l€ql âìIIun tou ',nord pepueq-uoEu.rp etnq e qlr,t lessea alEutsB r.uJoJ ol pâulquoc Á1,nro1s Áaq1 'resolc pu? JâsolJ Euttuoc'âtu spJuit\ol

JIB âql qEnorqt Surleog 't{uoJ puu lceq Eut1;u,n sluoq oEuBrls o,t\leas o1 ue8eq I 'Jâls^\ âr{l Jo âoBJJns aql Jeâu uotltsod Áu urorS 'uaq1

'pâqsrus^ psq sãJnlBâJc IIV '^\olâq €âs pue aaoqe Á1s ânlq Jo Á1t1unpeydurs E olur pâsot{drouulau âuâcs aql 1t1un 'uraql arroqe Ádouecâql plp os pu? 'âsoJ sJâ18/h aqt Á1,tto15 'Jâl?À\ Jo poog I?IluâJJol 3

paqsnE smel snou:erruc âsoq^\ ruor; 'peeq uulllpoooJc tutuutrE 'ctlue8t8e sBÂ\ 'âru lu Á11carrp Euqool pu? 'sãrlr^llcs âql Jâ^o Surptsard 'JâluâJ

ât{l uJ 'suotuâp Jo Ie^IuJpc lernleuredns B 'asnoq un; aSnq u EutlquasarEurqlauos olur Jlâslr pâ^losâr auecs Eutaou oql 'uoo1E aql ol lsntpe01 pâuleas saÁa Áu sV 'sluâtrlâ^otu Á,topeqs ut paEu8ua so:nEg utp

âes plnoc I puu Jâpnol ,rorE relu,n Jo punos âql pJBâq I 'uJâ^Bc l€llsâlâJsrqt ulqll^\ 'âru â^oqp goor Eutpuudxa-Jâ^â uB pâIrIroJ sânq lâloll l{Etrq

aq1 'sse13 pâurels Jo JrBSotu ctrlaruoaE e Eutlqruasar Ádouec € IIIJoJol pâcelJâtur Á11enperE pue'ralqErrq ârueJâq sâull luluJ olll pBâI{Ja^O

I became aware of my brain. I felt-physically-that it had becomecompartmentalized into four separate and distinct levels. At theuppermost surface was the observer and commander, which wasconscious of the condition of my body, and was responsible for theattempt to keep my heart going. It perceived, but purely as a spectator'the visions emanating from what seemed to be the nether portions of m'brain. Immediately below the topmost level I felt a numbed layer, whiclseemed to have been put out of commission by the drug-it just wasn'tthere. The next level down was the source of my visions, including thesoul boat.

Now I was virtually certain I was about to die. As I tried to acceptmy fate, an even lower portion of my brain began to transmit morevisions and information. I was "told" that this new material was beingpresented to me because I was dying and therefore "safe" to receivethese revelations. These were the secrets reserved for the dying and thedead, I was informed. I could only very dimly perceive the givers ofthese thoughts: giant reptilian creatures reposing sluggishly at thelowermost depths of the back of my brain, where it met the top of thespinal column. I could only vaguely see them in what seemed to begloomy, dark dePths'

Then they projected a visual scen5i in front of me' First they showedme the planet Earth as it was eons ago, before there was any life on it.I saw an ocean, barren land' and a bright blue sky' Then black specksdropped from the sky by the hundreds and landed in front of me on thbarren landscape. I could see that the "specks" were actually large'shiny, black creatures with stubby pterodactyl-like wings and hugewhale-like bodies. Their heads were not visible to me. They floppeddown, utterly exhausted from their trip, resting for eons' They explainrto me in a kind of thought language that they were fleeing fromsomething out in space. They had come to the planet Earth to escapetheir enemy.

The creatures then showed me how they had created life on theplanet in order to hide within the multitudinous forms and thus disguiltheir presence. Before me, the magnificence of plant and animalcreation and speciation-hundreds of millions of years of activity-tocplace on a scale and with a vividness impossible to describe. I learnedit

"t t5r dragon-like creatures were thus inside of all forms of Ìife'

including man.* They were the true masters of humanity and the enti:

rln retrospect one could say they were almost like DNA, although at that time, 196:kncw nothing of DNA.

5

sâIquq 'Eursreluoc suurpuJ âql :â{u punoJe llu spunos Eururou 'letuJouâql pJ?âq I pue 'uroJteld ooquuq âgl uo EurÁ1 ypls sEâ\ I 'âìo^\B I uâq^r

JooJ pâr{Jter{1-ru1ud âr{l ur sâloq aql Eurcrard ara,r,r lqErluns go sÁea

'1de1s 1 'Á11uutg'sarnluaapu Áru

go serlrnrSuoJur âql ls pnols EurqEnel;1asÁu punoJ I uâUO 'sârselueJÁur azrluar 01 suoruâp turuur.rE Állucruopres paÁoldua pu? :âJnlJâlrqcle

âlqrpâJcur pâleâJc lÁxu1eg âql olur lno uâ^a'suorão: luelsrp qãno:qtIIIIÌ\ 1B sÁaurnof snolnqEJ âperu I 'a1qeÁofua puu ayqeeEeuBru âJâ,Ìl

âsâql 'aJnleu lercgradns âJor.u E Jo suorsr^ Iuuorlrpps Áuuru Eunuq ruo.gau tua,ra:d lou plp lI lnq 'uorlrpuoc Áur pasea Á11ecrppr âloprlu? eql

'JâIIâJ qlr^\ pexEIâJ I 'eJoul ouerem profy âr{l pue luoq Inos aq1 isqtdap râ^\ol ãql olur ìcpq pareaddusrp

suoEurp â91'ÁllpnpeJg'âru olur âloprlue aql pernod puu uadoqlnou Áur pac:o; su€rpul eql luatuotu tpql le pup :âr.ü âJoJoq pa.readdu

âuO'sâJnlearc uerpldar uãrle âgl lsureEu au lcatord o1 Euraq 1ng:e,nod udn ernfuoc ol pârrl Á11ucr1uurg 1 puu 'suoEuJp l?âJâp plnoc oq^r uerp:znE

E pâpââu 1 'arull ur lr arBdard lou plnoc Áoql naul 1 pue'a1opr1ue uuâìuur ol punoJc Eurqsn.l tuâql ir\Bs I ..iâurcrpâI4l, :suurpul ãql ol pJo,ìl

ouo râlln o1 peEeuuur Á1ateq J 'lJoJâ 1se1 elqeurEuurun uB qll^\'d1aq ueunq ol pouJnl

1 'Euqepapun .lofuru ? sp^\ leâq ]reãrl qcsã '1rle Álqrssod puu uârleÁlSursearcur IââJ ol Suruurtaq âJâ^\ oq^t'sâuo luercue âr{l ol ãuruJnlâJlsutetz a18Enr1s o1 ueEaq 1 'sJolsaou€ uurplder luercue ãql puu sarcedsÁur uaamloq tspJluoc âql 'ssâuuurunq a^rlJurlsrp Áru 11ag Áluappns 1

'sqtdapâI{l Jo suâzluep ery1-uotu.lp eqt Áq perrnbce-ar ro pe:rnbce âq '.pâpeâJppue llâJ lnq u^rouìun sessacord qEnorqt 'tqEru 1nq prolg aqt go aueldluluozlJor{ âql uo ureural 1ou lqEnu lnos Áru

^\ot{âtuos l?ql plB{B se/r\I lng 'll dael plnoc Áaqt JI lnos Áur â^Bq ol âuroolâ^\ are,tr Áoql ialdoed

pãpeaq-pJlq ãqt Jo rBeJ ou peq I 'Ála8uulg 'â^Il ol âroul luetuotue Á1uo peq I .^í\âuì I 'slllq urom 'ual:uq ,{q palueg p:o!3 a8rel u pru,/r\ot

papeeq 1r su 3uo1e oJroJ âJll Áru 3ur11nd 'Áe,,rre 8ut,{,\erp Á11enpe.r8selt\ À\ârc ìJãp papeaq ÁeËan1q sll qll,t\ luoq âqI 'pJuoq uo Inos

Átr Eut1e1 pâr{srug lsotuls pur{ qclq^\ 'Áay1uE Eurlzog âql Jo suorsr^ glr^lpâluuJâll? 'punu Áur go sqldep âql uro{ dn Eur11e,r 'suorlularrar esaql

'31asÁurult{ll^r tuo{ âr,u o1 luads plnoc Áeqt uoszâJ snll JoJ 'sâJnluaJc âsâql Jo

slup^Jâs puu salculdacâJ âql lnq âJâ^\ suetunq a^\ 'âtu p1o1 Áeqt '1auqd

crying, and a rooster crowing. I was surprised to discover that I feltrefreshed and peaceful. As I lay there looking up at the beautiful wovtpattern of the roof, the memories of the previous night drifted acrossmy mind. I momentarily stopped myself from remembering more inorder to get my tape recorder from a duffie bag. As I dug into the bagseveral of the Indians greeted me, smiling. An old woman' Tomás' wifgave me a bowl of fish and plantain soup for breakfast. It tastedextraordinarily good. Then I went back to the platform' eager to put rnight's experiences on tape before I forgot anything.

The work of recall went easily except for one portion of the trancethat I could not remember. It remained blank, as though a tape hadbeen erased. I struggled for hours to remember what had happened inthat part of the experience, and I virtually wrestled it back into myconsciousness. The recalcitrant material turned out to be thecommunication from the dragon-like creatures, including the revelatioof their role in the evolution of life on this planet and their innatedomination of living matter, including man. I was highly excited atrediscovering this material, and could not help but feel that I was notsupposed to be able to bring it back from the nether regions of themind.

I even had a peculiar sense of fear for my safety, because I nowpossessed a secret that the creaturës had indicated was only intendedthe dying. I immediately decided to share this knowledge with othersthat the "secret" would not reside in me alone, and my life would nolbe in jeopardy. I put my outboard motor on a dugout canoe and left lan American evangelist mission station nearby. I arrived about noon.

The couple at the mission, Bob and Millie, were a cut above theaverage evangelists sent from the United States: hospitable, humorouand compassionate.' I told them my story. when I described the reptwith water gushing out of his mouth, they exchanged glances, reachefor their Bible, and read to me the following line from Chapter 12 inthe Book of Revelation:

And the 8eÍpent cast out of his mouth wal€r as a fiood ' ' '

They explained to me that the word "serpent" was synonymous inthe Bible with the words "dragon" and "Satan." I went on with mynarrative. When I came to the part about the dragon-like creaturesfleeing an enemy somewhere beyond the Earth and landing here to hfrom their pursuers, Bob and Millie became excited and again read r

L

srql 01 JsrlrurBJ Ápuerle su/I\ pâcuârredxa pzq I lBq^\ .peuunls s?^\ I'âc€ds Jâlno uor; Eu[uoc'âcuBJ] Árrj ur

'tuâql uââs psr{ J lerll rulg plol laÁ lou puq I JoJ ,eurds Áru go ged re,nolâql Euolu llllr B llâJ I 'Áìs âql pJe^\ol Á11unsec puuq srq pâ^B,t\ âH

..'ssâuìJaQrâtno Jo sJâlsp;41 aqt Á1uo are Áoql lng .luql EurÁus sÁu,n1e â1,Áaql .qO,,'urJE r r{ll^\ prES pue'saÁa ssaylqErs srq qlr^\ âur pJe^rol dn paruls e11

'uââs pEr.{ J lsrlÀl âqrJcsâp olârrroJ plnoo I lsâsolc aql se^\ ..1€q 1uurE,, os .oqruoJ ur uoEurp JoJ pJoÀ\

ou sr âJâr{I ..'plJo^\ âr{l Jo sJâlsur,rr ânJl ârll âJâ^\ Áaqt teqt plss oq^r'âsnoq slql Jo rltEual âql usr{l :eEuol ,s1eq 1ua:E e1t1 Eurqlauos .slururue

1cu1q luurE âsâql eJo^\ âJâqJ,, 'pres Á1uo pue aczds ruo{ I?^rJJ? JIâr{lpaddrls 1'sornlearc o1r1-uoEurp âql ol âlrrpJ I uaq^r ,snql :slqErlqtrq

oqt Á1uo rurq plol l lsrg lV 'tuauEes Áq tuauEes tulq ol suols$Áu paqucsap pue 'âul qllÀ\ ìooqâlou Áru Euqul .lnq slq 01 lue,rr I

'ssâuìJep Jo plJo^ì oql ot aprnE Áru eq o1âlq? âq lqErur u€u pullq B tuql rodord Á1uo pauroes lI '{urrp ocsontloÍn

âti-IgP!3?t{1'{1lt-pJ:93;U9s--â-!{1-e1g1!-1o1ijlc-"-il999--?Pel{"pB,I{-_-o-!{-l uutueqs pullq E 'suetpul eift 3o alquaEpâlÀrouì Állurnluuradns

lsotrr âql ruor; uorurdo leuorssayord B lrcllos o1 raEuo ^\ou sB^\ J

'peaq Áu ur arnssa:dJo ssâugurnu B pâcrlou 1 Áup lxau âql lnq .11a,n 1dsls I .uorlesuâs âql

pro^? ol srua Áu ur sraEug Átu 1cr1s ol peq I :pptu SuloE se,rr 1 lq8noqtI :Jolotu pr€oqlno âql Jo âsrou âql qlt^\ urqtÁqr ur goJrll o1 uzEaq

peaq Áu'âouEJ Áu ur aEellrn eql ol pâuJnloJ J sE .Eurua,re 1zq1'ocuarradxa âql Jo uorssncsrp Jrâr{l ânurluoJ ol tuâr{l Eur,reel .paq

.sârJpuorssnü âr{l uo deelsu IIâJ I 'palsnpr{xâ osle sB^\ I lnq ,aEpe1,nou1,nau Áu pâJeqs â^Bg ol pâ^erlâJ s?^\ J ,lunoJce Áu peqsug purl I

uar{^A 'uorlBIâ^âU Jo ìoog âql ur l"uâlsru Á1oq aues âqlJo etuos utll olpâlBâ^âJ aaeq Álluaruddu plnoc ,..sJolcop qcll,h,, âql Jo ìurJp âql EuIìBl

Áq 'lstEolodoJrllur Jrlsrâqlu us lurll IJBJ âr{l Áq pene âq ol pâuraâs'uJn1 ur 'sâuBuorssrtu ârlJ .Jâpuo^\ puu esud.lns qlrA\ pâuâlsrl I

'ur!q qllrú GleõuB slrl puB 'qUBe eqì olul lno lsBc sBÂ\ eq :plJo,n elorl,r\aql qle^reoap qctq,v\ 'uBlBS puB ,ll^ag sql pellec ,luedles plo ler{l ,no

lsBc sB,$ uoôe:p lBelõ sql puv 'ue^Beq u! eJout ÁuB punol eceld:1eqg senreqleu :lou pellB^erd puv 'sle6u8 slrl puB lq6nof uoõBlp erll puB :uoõBtp

eql lsulBõB tqõnol sleõuB 8lr{ puB leBqcln :ua^Boq u! ra,$ B sB,s E,torll puv

:uoll€la^âU Jo ìoog aq1 ur aEussed atues âql ruo{ âJour

barefoot. blind shaman. Known to him from his own explorations of thesame hidden world into which I had ventured. From that moment on Idecided to learn everything I could about shamanism.

And there was something more that encouraged me in my new questAfter I recounted my entire experience, he told me that he did not knorof anyone who had encountered and learned so much on his firstayahuasca journey.

"You can surely be a master shaman," he said.

Thus my serious study of shamanism began. From the Conibo Iespecially learned about the journey into the Lowerworld and theretrieval of spirits, methods tFâï will be described later in the book. Ireturned to the United States in 1961, but three years later I came bacto South America to be with the Jívaro, with whom I had lived in 195(and 1957. My mission this time was not just to be an anthropologist,but to learn firsthand how to practice shamanism the Jívaro way. Forthat reason, I wanted to go to the northwestern part of the Jívarocountry where the most powerful shamans were reputed to reside'

I first flew to Quito, Ecuador, in the Andean highlands' I took an olJunkers tri-motor down to a jungle airfield at the eastern base of theAndes on the Pastaza River. There J chartered a single-engine plane t<Macas, an ancient white settlement at the foot of the Andes in themidst of the Jívaro country.

Macas was a strange village. It had been founded in 1599 by ahandful of Spaniards who had survived the massacre of the legendarySevilla del oro by the Jívaro, and for centuries had been perhaps themost isolated community of the western world. until the airstrip wasbuilt in the 1940s, its most direct connection to the outside world hadbeen a slippery footpath over the Andean escarpment west of thevillage, involving an arduous eight-day hike to reach the highland cityof Riobamba. This isolation had created a white community unlike another in the world. Even during the early years of the twentieth centutthe men hunted with blowguns, wore Indian dress, and proudly declar'their direct descent from the Conquistadores.

They also had their own marvelous legends and private mysteries.For example, there was the story of how, after the massacre and theretreat from sevilla del oro, it took them almost a century to Íìnd ançw way out over the Andes, The man who had frnally succeeded was

s\i\\tc!(e!(\barad in bedtime stories to the children. And there was th

6âlu^lJd srq ãtu pâ^\oqs Á.luuorssnu JrloqluC âr{l ,(Bp lxau âqI

'll€ tl Jo Álrprnsqe aqt le ;1asÁru ot paqEnel 1 'Á1t1earJrâr{l Jo âlu purruâJ ol pu? olEunf âql ol uJnlâJ Áru loarE ot uor}dnra

eql pecnpo.ld pur{ suouãp oruopJes ãr{1 leql 'Á11euor1urrr Álpalqnopun'l1ag I 'Áutuus txo{ Á1s 1q3ru âql olur toqs sìJo^raJg IBJnlBu yo Áurds

E ̂\ou pue 'punort âql uâìpqs peq alunbqtJsa uV 'turlnoqs a.re,n e1doe6

'pâqsrue^ suorsr^ eq1 'Eur1.leq tno lsJnq aEelpa aqt go sEop âqJ 'pâq lBIsÁtu go u^\oJl{l lsorulu su,tr 1 'l1of z pus uorsoldxo uu qtg,n 'Áluappng

'succhtr Jo sluutrq€qur lenlrrrds aql tuteessE^\ J llâJ 1 'Eur-reeddeâJ pu€ Euuzaddesrp '3urpr,ns-suraued Eurtueqc

âql Euorus pereadde 'pâJ oslu âJâ^\ qcrq^\ 'sâcBJ cruotuap Euruur.rE'llzurs uâql 'uorr{suJ elqeÁofua lsor.u E ur Eururnl puu 'Eulluredas

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collection of prehistoric potsherds from the local area. on them werepainted red designs almost identical to those I had seen the previousnight.

The following morning, my Jívaro guide and I walked northwardfrom Macas, crossed the Río Upano in a dugout canoe, and continuedwalking all day.

At sunset, exhausted, we reached our destination, the house of afamous shaman, Akachu, deep in the forest. There was no guayusa thaevening. Instead, I was proffered bowl after bowl of refreshing maniocbeer, monkey meat, and raw, squirming, but delicious cheese-like grubsTired, but delighted to be back among shamans, I fell into a deep sleelon the bamboo bed.

In the morning Akachu and I sat formally, opposite each other onwooden stools, as his wives brought us bowls of warmed manioc beer.His long black hair, bound into a pony tail with a woven red and whittstrap from which a feathered tassel hung, showed streaks of gray' Iguessed he was in his sixties.

"I have come," I explained, "to acquire spirit helpers, tsentsak'"He stared hard at me without saying a word, but the wrinkles in his

brown face seemed to deePen."That is a fine gun, there," he observed, jutting his chin toward the

Winchester shotgun I had brought along for hunting.His message was clear, for the standard payment among the Jívaro

for shamanic initiation was-at the very least-a muzzle-loadingshotgun. The breach-loading, cartridge-using v/inchester was far morepowerful than the black-powder muzzle-loaders, and thus much morevaluable.

"To acquire knowledge and spirit helpers, I will give you the gun army two boxes of cartridges," I said.

Akachu nodded and reached his arm out in the direction of theWinchester. I picked up the gun and carried it over to him. He testedits weight and balance, and sighted along the barrel. Then, abruptly, Ilaid the gun across his knees.

"First, you must bathe in the waterfall," he said. "Then we will seeI told him I was ready to do whatever he said'"You are not z shuar, an Indian," Akachu said, "so I do not know

you will have success. But I will help you try." He pointed westwardtoward the Andes with his chin. "Soon we will make the journey to tlwaterfall."

Five days later, Akachu, his son-in-law Tsangu, and I departed on

l0