Cumaru rapé – Huni Kuin

Cumaru rapé: warm, firm and supportive

Strength: 5 out of 7. Character: the essence of the forest, Amazon gold, divine clarity.

Open the bottle and take a sniff. Warm. A touch sweet. Something you know, but can't quite place. That is Cumaru.

Cumaru rapé is made by the Huni Kuin in Acre, in the Brazilian Amazon. It is powerful, but not confrontational. Many people describe it as a blend you carry, rather than one that drags you along.

What is Cumaru rapé?

Imagine a tree thirty meters high. The wood is so hard and strong that it barely rots. In the Netherlands, it is sometimes used as hardwood for decks and flooring. And you may know its seeds from the kitchen or from perfume: the tonka bean.

That is the cumaru tree, Dipteryx odorata. The Huni Kuin make ash from its hard wood. That ash is the base of this rapé.

You can smell the connection immediately. Cumaru is warm and slightly sweet, with something dry and woody. Different from the deep, earthy scent of Tsunu.

Rapé is pronounced as "ha-pé". That is why you will also see the spelling hapé. It is a fine plant powder that the Huni Kuin have traditionally used in ceremony and meditation.

How Cumaru is made

The hard wood of the cumaru tree is turned into ash. That ash is ground very finely. Plants from the tradition are then added.

Everything is done by hand, without machines. What is added is dried, finely pounded, and further pulverized by the sun. Then everything goes through a large sieve. Meanwhile, songs are sung and prayers are offered.

Rapé you see elsewhere is often coarser and grainier. Our Cumaru is super fine, almost powdery. That shows how much handwork goes into it. And because it is so fine, you need less of it.

From the village to your bottle

For about eight years now, Kevin has had a connection with a Huni Kuin village in Acre. He speaks with them daily, via WhatsApp and video calls. This is how he learns which tree produces which ash, and how to recognize the trees. Going to the village is at the top of his list.

The rapé comes directly from them, without any middleman. Almost every month, a small, fresh shipment arrives. Kevin does the final inspection. Then the rapé goes straight into a dark bottle that blocks uv light. This keeps the prayers and songs trapped in the bottle.

The Huni Kuin are also known as Kaxinawá. They themselves choose the name Huni Kuin, "the True People". So do we.

"They get the price they ask. I never haggle. And on top of that, a portion of the proceeds goes back to the village." — Kevin

How do people experience Cumaru?

Think of that hard wood. A tree that stands firm, no matter what happens. Many people experience Cumaru exactly like that: firm, calm, and supportive.

What they describe: you slowly settle into your body. Not with a jolt, but gradually. Restlessness in your head becomes quieter. You feel the ground under your feet again.

In the tradition, Cumaru is also associated with the heart. Many people experience a warm, gentle openness in their chest. No intense emotions, but a softening.

And then there is the silence. Cumaru has traditionally been used in meditation and inner work. Many people experience that they stay in the silence deeper and longer, with a gentle focus.

What many people experience with Cumaru

• Gentle grounding: calm and stable in your body
• Peace in a restless head
• Warmth and gentleness around the heart
• A firm, safe feeling around you
• Silence and gentle focus in meditation

This is experience, not a promise. Everyone experiences rapé differently.

Who is Cumaru rapé for?

Cumaru is powerful, but not confrontational. Because of this, it suits many people.

You are looking for gentleness and balance

You don't need to get through something. You want to land, become calm, and feel again. Then many people choose Cumaru.

You like to meditate for a long time

For longer meditations or quiet moments. Many people experience Cumaru as supportive, so they find it easier to stay seated.

You are landing after a powerful experience

After an intensive ceremony or a busy period. Many people use Cumaru to give everything a place.

You don't have much experience yet

Cumaru has a strength of 5 out of 7. It is powerful, but not confrontational. Even if you haven't worked with rapé for long, it is easy to handle. Are you completely new? Then many people start with Tsunu, Rosa, or Murici.

Which rapé suits you? Take the choice guide

When do you use Cumaru?

During a long meditation

As an opening. Set your intention, take the rapé, and let the silence do its work.

When you are restless

After a day full of stimuli. If your head keeps racing. Many people then use Cumaru to come to rest.

During inner work

During journaling, breathwork, or a quiet moment in nature. Many people experience that Cumaru keeps them with themselves.

After a ceremony

As a closing, to land and let what you have experienced settle.

Cumaru in a few words.
Grounding.
Softening.
Balanced.
An ally for the heart.
Gentle in approach.
Deep in experience.

Using Cumaru rapé

Rapé is something you work with, not something you just take. Start consciously.

• Amount: start with about the size of a pea in each nostril. Build up slowly, over several moments.
• How: you give yourself rapé with a kuripe, a V-shaped applicator. First, exhale completely.
• Order: in the tradition, you start on the left (letting go) and then on the right (receiving).
• Then: close your eyes, breathe through your mouth, and sit still for a while. Let what comes, come.

You can read more about the technique in "Using rapé safely".

Read: Using rapé safely

Packaging and storage

• Contents: 7.7 or 15 grams of Huni Kuin rapé, handmade
• Bottle: dark glass that blocks uv light, so the rapé stays fresh
• Storage: cool, dry, and dark, away from the sun and damp spaces
• Shelf life: 12 to 24 months if stored properly
• Closure: always close the bottle tightly, moisture is the greatest enemy
• Origin: handmade in a Huni Kuin village in Acre, Brazil
• Shipping: packed by hand and with care by Purity Healing

Safety

• This is a traditional plant preparation for ceremonial and spiritual use. It is not a medicine.
• Not suitable if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Not suitable for unstable heart or vascular problems.
• Not suitable for persons under 18 years of age.
• Do not combine with antidepressants or MAO inhibitors. In doubt? Consult a doctor.
• Purity Healing does not sell this as a replacement for medical or psychological treatment.

Frequently asked questions about Cumaru rapé

Is Cumaru the same tree as the one for the tonka bean?

Yes. The cumaru tree, Dipteryx odorata, is the tree on which the tonka bean grows. For this rapé, the Huni Kuin use the ash from the tree's hard wood.

What does Cumaru rapé smell like?

Warm and slightly sweet, with something dry and woody. Many people think of tonka or vanilla the first time they smell it. The scent is gentler than many other varieties.

How strong is Cumaru?

Cumaru has a strength of 5 out of 7. It is powerful, but not confrontational. Start with about the size of a pea in each nostril and build up slowly.

What is the difference between Cumaru and Tsunu?

Both have a strength of 5 out of 7 and are made from tree ash. Tsunu is deep and aromatic, and many people experience it as firm and energetic. Cumaru is warm and slightly sweet, and many people experience it as gentler and more supportive.

What is the difference between Cumaru and Buna Rao?

Buna Rao has a strength of 7 out of 7 and a resinous scent. Many people choose it for their boundary and radiance. Cumaru (strength 5) is calmer and warmer. Do you mainly want to land and soften? Then Cumaru often suits better.

Is Cumaru also in other blends?

Yes. Cumaru is one of the seven ingredients of 7 Eva's, together with Tsunu and Caneleiro, among others. Do you want to get to know Cumaru on its own? Then this bottle is the place to start.

Read more and discover

• Rapé varieties explained: all 15 in a row
• Buying rapé: what to look for?
• Compare all varieties by strength
• What is rapé? The guide for beginners
• Using rapé safely: technique, amount, and intention
• The Huni Kuin: the True People of the Amazon
• The art of blowing
• Which rapé suits you? All 15 varieties side by side
• Tsunu: deep, aromatic, and grounding
• Buna Rao: rare and deep, strength 7 out of 7
• 7 Eva's: the blend that contains Cumaru
• Personal advice? Send Kevin a message

View all 15 varieties

Product details

Ash from the hard wood of the cumaru tree (Dipteryx odorata, the tonka bean tree), with plants from the tradition. Warm and slightly sweet in scent. Super finely ground. Handmade by the Huni Kuin in Acre, Brazil. Strength 5 out of 7.

Contents and packaging: 7.7 or 15 grams · dark glass bottle that blocks uv light · airtight sealed · packed by hand

Important to know

All products are for adults only (18+). This product is sold as a plant specimen, for research purposes only. It is not intended for consumption.

Rapé is something you work with, not something you just take. Start mindfully.

• Start with about as much as a pea per nostril. Build up gradually.
• You administer rapé to yourself with a kuripe, a V-shaped applicator. Exhale completely first.
• In the tradition, you start on the left (letting go) and then the right (receiving).
• Then: close your eyes, breathe through your mouth and sit still for a moment.

• Dark glass that blocks UV light, keeping the rapé fresh
• Store in a cool, dry, and dark place
• Lasts 12 to 24 months if stored properly
• Always close the bottle tightly; moisture is its greatest enemy
• Hand-packed with care

• This is a traditional herbal preparation for ceremonial and spiritual use. It is not a medicine.
• Not suitable if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Not suitable for unstable heart or vascular conditions.
• Not suitable for persons under 18 years of age.
• Do not combine with antidepressants or MAO inhibitors. If in doubt, consult a doctor.