The following entry would be incomplete without a sincere expression of gratitude to all of the Peruvians who we’ve met on our path. And I mean all. Brian and I continue to meet such generous, kind, fun-loving and accepting people wherever we find ourselves in Peru. People here could easily look upon us with suspicion or weariness but they don’t. We have been accepted as fellow family and community members, and have been met with a loving spirit by all in our travels as well. People love to ask questions, talk, and show a genuine interest in getting to know us. We’ve been welcomed, fed, offered snacks, fruit, drinks, places to stay; and most importantly, friendship from countless people. Our trip to Huancabamba was no different.
Although it’s very easy to pass judgement on things we don’t understand, we fully recognize that by participating in the ceremonies with the shamans and other Peruvians, we were experiencing something sacred and very precious. That this community of people literally shared with us their deepest inner practices and beliefs. And they did so willingly, even praternally. The people in the ceremony saw to it that our group of volunteers had enough blankets for the cold night, that we were included in all group sessions, and the shaman continually checked on us to make sure our needs were met. They could have been the opposite. They could have questioned our motives there. But they didn’t. They embraced us, the foreigners from a distant powerful country. Not once did they ask why we were there. For this Brian and I are eternally grateful to Peru and the beautiful people who make the country what it is.
So our group of seekers comprised 13 Peace Corps volunteers. Brian and I took the 8-hr bus from Sicchez to Piura, then another 10-hr bus from Piura back up (just in a slightly more southerly direction) to Huancabamba. Although one could theoretically travel the short distance south from our site to Huancabamba (staying in the mountains), there is no road. So it’s going west to go back east. The journey is incredible. The bus climbed over a 10,000 foot pass (think very narrow road with long drop-offs) and down on into Huancabamba, a town of about 30,000 people. Being the intrepid but cautious people we are, we began by investigating possible shamans. We asked locals and also went to the police station to cross-reference names.
The next day saw us off from our hotel at 5am on a 1.5 hour journey up the mountain on a dirt road. We arrived at the shaman’s house (I assume it’s his house), rented rubber boots and wool ponchos and began the 6-mile muddy climb to Laguna Shimbe. A group of 4 Limenans (people from Lima) also joined us, riding horses to the lake while we walked. The pictures below give a general idea of the terrain. Beautiful but also very injured. The lakes are well-known for their cleansing and purifying powers, and it is said that one must not visit them without a shaman present. The shamans begin with a group ceremony, passing each person with a prayer of luck and well-being. The shaman’s helpers snort perfume soaked in tobacco out of a small horn while the shaman prays in front of each person. The snorters begin snorting by one’s feet, and end the inhalation at one’s head. They also place perfume in your hands so that you can sniff it and rub it on your head.
After the blessing, the purification begins. One must dip completely into the lake, head and all, to purify. It was windy, cloudy and chilly. Think wool hat, two sweaters, a jacket and gloves type weather. We stripped down (yes, I went neked with two others – do you expect less from me?? And yes, Brian in his undies.) And I have to say, the water felt very silky, and upon getting out I was quite warm. Warm enough to trot over to the shaman’s helper for my post-cleansing ritual in the nude. Hey, if I’m doing this I’m gonna do it to the hilt! He kindly said, “If you’d like, you can cover up a bit.” “Asi no mas, pero gracias, “ I assured him I was happy as could be. The helpers passed swords over our bodies, front, back and sides blessing each organ, bone, and vein. We then turned three times in each direction under the swords and shook off bad energy by jumping and throwing our arms in the air. I thought the whole time of just breathing letting the experience happen. I didn’t analyze much and didn’t try to feel anything.
By that time I was cold. Wrapped in a towel, I went to the other post-post-cleansing ceremony with the shaman. He sniffed more tobacco perfume and put more in my hands for me to inhale while reciting prayers. Time to dress. The good ‘ol CMCer in me brought a change of socks, shirt and undies. Warm again in seconds flat. From there we did another group ceremony similar to the first and thanked the lake for receiving us. I wish I could tell you what the prayers were. Mostly, I understood that the shamans were asking for luck with love, work, school, health and family. All other words were lost to me.
After the journey back, we ate and tried to rest for a few hours before the 8-hr night ceremony began. At 10pm about 35 people crammed into a shelter of sorts. There were taxidermied (is that a word?) animals hanging from the roof. Leopords, snakes, birds, etc. The shaman’s alter had a lot of swords, herbs, and perfume. People laid out gifts, pictures of family members, and documents on a bench for the shaman to bless. We all cuddled up on mattresses laid on the floor with our ponchos and blankets. Crowded, cuddly, curious.
The first step was for everyone to drink a bitter infusion of San Pedro. I think it’s supposed to be a hallucinogenic, but we didn’t drink much and none of us felt too different. The shaman said the tea was so that he could see our “evidence”. I have no idea if he drank more or not. Then we all stood in two lines facing each other while the shaman and his helpers passed out clam shells filled with the tobacco infused perfume. After repeating prayers, we all sniffed the tincture up our left nostril. Not pleasant. Mom, it was just like when I dank your perfume when I was a kid, but with a tobacco kick. Some people sniffed more so that they could kind of vomit. I just spit out what ran from my nose down to my throat. I wish I could explain the purpose and undoubtedly intricate stories behind each ritual, but I honestly have no idea. We were just rolling with the flow.
Upon sniffing, we all went outside (holy shit, the stars and Mars and Saturn!!) and jumped, shook, shouted and purged. You might not think, but when one is in a massive group, the energy gets contagious and you can’t help but join in the collective action.
From there we went inside back to our blankies and sat in the darkness for who knows how long. One hour? Silent, listening to the shaman grunt and whine. I can only assume he was in the process of entering a mystical state.
Back outside, we did some more purging and cleansing. Some people were making each other vomit. This time, each person participated in an individual cleansing ceremony with the sword, just like at the lake but a little more involved. This took some time, as we were over 30 people. After being cleansed, each person met individually with the shaman for 5 minutes or so. We had to snort perfume up each nostril before talking to him. The shaman really did have an incredibly benign, calm, gentle presence. He seemed strong but spoke so softly, almost with a note of music in his voice. I don’t know why, but when he called me up I all of a sudden got nervous. My heart started pounding. He gently touched my arm and I jumped. He said, “ You’re nervous,” and gently touched my shoulder. Such a nice man, I thought. He asked what I did for work, where I lived. Told me that I was going to write a great book (could it be the poems I’m trying to collect?) and that I was a good person. Upon hearing that I am married, he called Brian up too. Together he asked if we had cars (I don’t know why) and divined the colors of our cars. Maybe that’s the vision he had upon looking at us. He asked if we had kids. When we told him no, he said that god will not bless us with children. He then said that we will find very good work when we return to the states and that we have back and leg pain due to the cold “es por el frio”. He blessed us and we smelled more perfume that he put in our hands. Then we passed to the helper and he sprayed perfume on us from his mouth (legs, stomach, chest, head). From there we cuddled back into the blankets to wait.
I think we slept a bit. One by one, each person went back to the shaman while he chanted blessings and shook a rattle. The only thing he asked was my name, my father’s name and his occupation. We slept again. The next few hours were a series of getting up, going outside to dance (once with a harmonica), being sprayed with perfume or scented baby powder, and various blessings. It’s a little blurry because by this time I was delirious due to lack of sleep (I’m such a baby when I don’t get sleep!). At the end, we stood in lines facing each other one last time for a perfume and powder spray accompanied by blessings. The shaman said good morning to us. We danced outside again, and then lined up one-by-one to be blessed with perfumed water applied by a rose. We were told to make the sign of the cross (yes, there were several Catholic references during the ceremony). 6am!! Clean. Limpiocitos. Blessed. Inspired. Grateful. Confused. Smelly. Tired. Filled up. And down went the van full of volunteers, back to town.
I can offer no analysis because I’m uneducated as to the meaning of each action and ritual. I can only say what I said in the beginning. That we are extremely blessed to be able to experience the realization of a belief shared by a people. That faith is expressed in an infinite number of ways, that people touch the infinite using many tools, and that it all exists because we want it to.
Thank you Huancabamba and gracias maestro.
YAY!!! After so much work, we finally made the garden beds!!! We planted beans and alfalfa to fix some nitrogen in the soil and have a living mulch that we can dig in before planting veggies next year.
The vista from our front porch.
Me and a very special person who came all the way down to give me a bit ´o lovin!
