Katsarau rapé (Katsaral) – Huni Kuin

Katsarau rapé: stand firm

Strength: 5 out of 7. Character: depth, concentration, serenity.

There are days when everything pulls at you. Emails, people, expectations. You want to stay upright, but you feel yourself drifting in every direction. On such days, many people reach for Katsarau.

Katsarau rapé is made by the Huni Kuin, the largest indigenous people of the state of Acre in the Brazilian Amazon. It is firm and direct. Not overwhelming, but distinctly present. Like a hand on your shoulder saying: stay here.

What is Katsarau rapé?

Katsarau is a fine plant powder made from the katsaral plant. That is why you see both names: Katsarau and Katsaral. Sometimes also Katzarau. It is the same rapé.

The katsaral resembles the tsunu. Are you already familiar with tsunu? Then you will find katsarau familiar territory. Yet it has its own character. Where tsunu mainly helps you land, katsarau stands for firmness and focus.

Rapé is pronounced as "ha-pé". That is why you also see the spelling hapé, and sometimes rapeh. The Huni Kuin have traditionally used rapé in ceremony and meditation.

Katsaral in other blends

Katsaral is also in Veia de Pajé, one of the Huni Kuin's most refined blends. There it forms a blend with tsunu, xipão, and cacau, using four types of ash. In Katsarau, you get to know katsaral on its own.

How Katsarau is made

The Huni Kuin work by hand, without machines. What goes into the rapé is dried and finely pounded. The sun further pulverizes it. Then everything passes over a large sieve. During the process, they sing and pray.

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

Straight from Acre

Almost every month a new shipment arrives, in small batches. Kevin does the final inspection. The rapé goes directly into a dark bottle that blocks UV light. This keeps the prayers and chants trapped in the bottle, and keeps the rapé fresh.

Kevin has had a connection with the Huni Kuin for about eight years. Every day there is contact with a Huni Kuin village in Acre, via WhatsApp and video calls. From them, he learns how rapé is made and how to recognize the plants. The rapé comes directly from them, without any middleman.

The Huni Kuin are also known as the 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 Katsarau?

What people most often mention is firmness. Your feet stand firmer on the ground. Your back feels straighter. You are simply there, fully.

Katsarau has traditionally been used to ground yourself and gather strength. Many people experience that they stay with themselves, even when a lot is happening around them. Not hard, not closed off. But whole.

Many people also experience katsarau as protective. As if a boundary appears around you. What is yours stays inside. What is not yours stays outside.

And then there is the focus. Thoughts that shoot off in every direction begin to move in one direction. Your attention becomes calm and sharp at the same time.

How many people experience katsarau

• Firmness: feeling firm in your body and on the ground again
• Staying with yourself, even when things are busy
• A boundary around you, so you do not scatter
• Focus and calm, clear attention

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

Who is Katsarau rapé for?

Katsarau is for those seeking firmness. And for those who know tsunu and want to know what a related plant does to you.

You are seeking strength and stability

You are facing something that demands a lot from you. A period at work, a change at home, a choice you have to make. Many people choose katsarau then to stand firm.

You already know tsunu

Katsarau is very close to tsunu. Both have a strength of 5 out of 7, both are grounding. Those who like tsunu often want to get to know katsarau as well. You feel the difference best when you try them on different days.

You do ceremonial work

In ceremonies where focus and a safe boundary are important. Many ceremonial leaders use katsarau to give the work a firm foundation.

You are just starting

That is possible, if you start small and build up slowly. Katsarau is direct, so take your time. Do you want to get acquainted with a good start first? Then look at tsunu, rosa, or murici.

Which rapé suits you? Take the selection guide

When do you use katsarau?

For a day that demands a lot from you

A presentation, a difficult conversation, a busy week. A quiet moment with katsarau before you go out the door.

When your mind is scattered

Ten things at once, and nothing is getting done. Many people use katsarau to bring their attention back together.

During a period of change

When a lot is in motion and you want to stay with yourself. Katsarau has traditionally been used to find calm and firmness, especially when life is shifting.

During meditation or breathwork

As an opening to a session in which you want to sit for a long time. Many people experience that they wander off less easily then.

Katsarau in a few words:
Grounding. Firm. Clear in intention.
An ally for when you want to stay upright.

Using katsarau rapé

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

• Amount: start with as much as a pea per nostril. Build up slowly, over several occasions.
• How: you give yourself rapé with a kuripe, a V-shaped pipe. Exhale completely first.
• Order: in the tradition, you start on the left (letting go) and then on the right (receiving).
• Afterward: close your eyes, breathe through your mouth, and sit still for a moment. 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, made by hand
• Bottle: dark glass that blocks UV light, so the rapé stays fresh
• Storage: cool, dry, and dark, away from the sun and away from damp spaces
• Shelf life: 12 to 24 months if you store it properly
• Closure: always close the bottle tightly, moisture is the greatest enemy
• Origin: made by hand 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 katsarau rapé

Is it called katsarau or katsaral?

Both. Katsaral is the plant, katsarau is the name you see most often on rapé. Sometimes you also read katzarau. It is the same blend from the Huni Kuin.

What is katsarau made of?

The katsaral, a plant from the Acre rainforest that resembles the tsunu. Everything is made by hand and ground super-fine, without machines.

What is the difference between katsarau and tsunu?

The plants resemble each other, and both rapés have a strength of 5 out of 7. On the tsunu label it says: deeply grounding, energetic, balancing. For katsarau: depth, concentration, serenity. Many people experience tsunu as landing, and katsarau as standing firm.

Can I start with katsarau as a beginner?

Yes, if you start small: as much as a pea per nostril. Katsarau is direct. Do you prefer to start with a familiar good start? Tsunu, rosa, and murici are all a good start. The selection guide sets them side by side for you.

In which other blend is katsaral?

In Veia de Pajé. There, katsaral is together with tsunu, xipão, and cacau, with four types of ash. Do you want to get to know katsaral yourself? Then katsarau is the blend.

Can I combine katsarau with another rapé?

Yes. Many people start with tsunu to land and then take katsarau for focus. Or the other way around: katsarau first, and then a softer kind like rosa.

Read and discover more

• Rapé types explained: all 15 in a row
• Buying rapé: what to look for?
• Compare all types 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 types side by side
• Tsunu: the tree that the katsaral resembles
• Veia de Pajé: katsaral together with tsunu, xipão, and cacau
• Want to investigate first? Five Rapéhs: 7 Eva's, Samaúma, Katsarau, Caneleiro, and Mulateiro as a sample set
• Personal advice? Send Kevin a message

View all 15 types

Product details

From the katsaral plant, which resembles the tsunu. Super-fine ground. Made by hand 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. (The "Disclaimer" heading above this text may be removed.)

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

• Start with as little as a pea per nostril. Build up gradually.
• You administer rapé to yourself with a kuripe, a V-shaped pipe. Exhale completely first.
• In 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.