Shamans Online
A project of the Living Bridges Foundation

Shamans Confederation Project

History

The idea of a Shamans Annual Conference has evolved from the Centro Wanamey Memorial and Phicopata Garden Projects.

The project was first inspired by Alejandro Darikiking Juaranchi of the Huachipayri. Alejandro's vision was to build an ethnic teaching center to preserve the teachings of the Huachypayri. He created a small native ceremonial center (Centro Wanamey) in the Philcopata area where the Confederation meets.

At the first meeting the shamans agreed and voted on their purpose: to unify their teaching systems and to expand to include other tribes and shamans. Pro-Naturaleza introduced the Garden Project concept to the attendees. The shamans believe they must also preserve wild areas of the forest to grow the plans which they believe cannot be cultivated without losing power.

In 1999 a group of shamans for the Philcopata region and outlying areas held their Second Annual Convention at the Wanamey Center to discuss the future of their teachings and to name a successor to Alejandro. Alberto Manequerapi of the Machigenga tribe, community of Huacaria, is the appointed successor to Alejandro

In June 2000 the shamans met at Centro Wanamey to welcome new members and discuss future plans. The expanded Confederation now includes the Diamante, Shintuya, Machigenga and Huachipayri tribes. Donna Runnalls of Living Bridges attended the meeting to discuss future possibilities for expansion of the programs and receive the vote and directions of the participants on Living Bridges projects.

Goals

The primary objective of the Confederation is to unite the shamans in their leadership as caretakers of their native Forests as their territories and communities come under eventual contact and influence from the outside technologically based societies and their demands for oil, minerals, and wood products.

By working to understand future trends, the shamans, as spokespersons for their communities, are better able to make wise decisions which preserve and protect their traditional homes. The forest people should be promoted to have means of livelihood which sustain them well within the economic reality (forest economy) of their homelands.

Additional goals are:

1. To foster the cultivation of medicinal and artesian plants for community use and outside sale as alternative sources of income to logging.
2. To create a system for training people in the uses of the plants.

In the areas near Philcopata (at the confluence of three rivers into Manu) gardens are run by local residents. The plants were originally funded by Tropical Rainforest Coalition of the USA, under the direction of Pro-Naturalez ONG of Peru and promoter Alberto Manequerapi of the Machigenga tribe, community of Huacaria.

The next step was to fund and construct a new teaching and meeting center for the Shamans Confederation under the direction of Alberto Manequerapi.

The garden proceeds will maintain the center and be managed by a governing Board of Directors. The Center will be shared by all tribes. It will be a teaching center for the training of the young in the traditions of their ancestors, a site for foreigners to participate in cultural immersion programs, and a scientific plant research site for University students.

All proceeds from the various programs will be shared by the member tribal communities.

Updated: July 19, 2004

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