Samaúma rapé – Huni Kuin

Samaúma rapé: the queen of the jungle

Strength: 6 out of 7. Character: majesty, sovereignty, transcendence.

Imagine this: you are standing in the rainforest. Green everywhere, sound everywhere. And then you look up. One tree rises above everything. Its crown is higher than the entire forest around it. From up there, you can see everything.

That is the Samaúma. Samaúma rapé is made by the Huni Kuin, the largest indigenous people of the state of Acre in the Brazilian Amazon. It is a strong blend. Not to start with, but to grow towards.

What is Samaúma rapé?

Samaúma rapé is a fine plant powder with the ash of the Samaúma tree. The botanical name is Ceiba pentandra. With us, it is also known as the kapok tree. In Brazil, you will see the names samaúma, samauma, and sumaúma.

The Samaúma is a giant. It rises above the rainforest. At the bottom are enormous plank roots, like wooden walls that support the trunk. High and deep at the same time. That is why the Huni Kuin call it the queen of the jungle and the Mother of the Forest.

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.

Heaven and earth, and the ancestors

In the tradition of the Huni Kuin, the Samaúma represents heaven and earth. Its roots are deep in the ground. Its crown almost touches the clouds. It is the bridge between them.

There is a beautiful image associated with it. The ancestors are in heaven. Through the Samaúma, they can flow back to the earth. That is how Kevin tells it, as he learned it from the Huni Kuin. As an image from the tradition, not as a promise.

How Samaúma is made

The Huni Kuin make ash from the Samaúma. That ash is ground very finely. Everything is done by hand, without machines. What is added is dried and finely pounded. The sun further pulverizes it. Then everything goes through a large sieve. During the work, they sing and pray.

Rapé that you see elsewhere is often a bit coarser and grainier. Our Samaúma is super fine, almost powdery. That is how you can see how much handwork is in it.

From the forest to your bottle

Almost every month a fresh shipment arrives, in small batches. Kevin does the final inspection. Then the rapé goes directly into a dark bottle that blocks uv-light. This is how the prayers and chants remain trapped in the bottle. Open the bottle, and you can smell how fresh it is.

Kevin has known the Huni Kuin for about eight years. He has daily contact with a Huni Kuin village in Acre, via WhatsApp and video calls. The rapé comes directly from them, without intermediaries. Going to the village is at the top of his list.

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

"They get the price they ask. I never haggle. And besides, a part of the proceeds goes back to the village." — Kevin

How do people experience Samaúma?

Sometimes you are so close to your own life that you no longer see the whole. Every day the same worries. Every time the same piece of the story. That is exactly when many people seek out the Samaúma.

What they describe is overview. As if they are sitting in the crown of the tree for a moment and looking down. The small things become smaller. What really matters becomes visible.

Many people also experience Samaúma as upright. As if there is a line running from the ground beneath you, through your body, to the sky. Feet on the earth. Head in space.

And then there are the ancestors. Some people describe images, feelings, or the awareness that someone is there. A grandfather, a grandmother, or something old that they cannot name. Others mainly feel a great sense of coming home. Not to a place, but to a long line of people before them.

How many people experience Samaúma

• Overview: briefly rise above your own story
• A straight line between earth and heaven, with you in between
• Connection with the ancestors, as an image or as a feeling
• Coming home to something that is greater than yourself

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

Who is Samaúma rapé for?

Samaúma is strong. It asks that you already know rapé a little. That is why it is not the first choice. It is a next step.

You already know rapé and want to go further

Do you already know Tsunu, Rosa, or Murici? Then Samaúma is a beautiful next step. Strength 6 out of 7, so start small. Just started? Then choose one of those three first.

You are working with your family and your ancestors

Many people choose Samaúma when they pause to consider where they come from. For example around a family constellation, or just at home, with a photo of someone who is no longer there. Samaúma does not replace guidance. It is a ritual moment, with respect for the tradition.

You are at a crossroads in your life

A birth. A farewell. A wedding, a divorce, a move. Many people consciously use Samaúma at such a transitional moment. The moment then feels less detached, as if it fits into a larger story.

You guide ceremonies yourself

For the most quiet moments of a ceremony. When the group has already landed and there is room for something bigger. Kevin saves Samaúma for exactly those moments.

Which rapé suits you? Take the choice guide

When do you use Samaúma?

At a ceremony around the ancestors

On the anniversary of someone who is no longer there. On All Souls' Day or the Day of the Dead. Or on an evening that you choose yourself to commemorate.

On the big moments of the year

Solstice, full moon, the day on which day and night are briefly equal. People have marked those moments for a very long time. Many people use Samaúma to consciously reflect on them.

Outside, under the stars

Samaúma is about heaven and earth. Many people find it beautiful to use it outside, in the evening. Grass under you. Stars above you. Heaven and earth are simply both there.

"Samaúma is the blend that really quiets people. The silence of being in contact with something that is greater than yourself. I use it on the most sacred moments of my ceremonies."

— Kevin Lorenzini, Purity Healing

Using Samaúma rapé

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

• Quantity: start with as much as a pea per nostril. Build up slowly, over several moments.
• How: you give yourself rapé with a kuripe, a V-shaped pipe. First breathe out completely.
• Order: in the tradition you start on the left (letting go) and then on the right (receiving).
• Afterwards: eyes closed, 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 biggest 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 younger than 18 years.
• 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 Samaúma rapé

What does Samaúma mean?

Samaúma is the Brazilian name of the kapok tree, Ceiba pentandra. You also see samauma and sumaúma. It is the giant that rises above the rainforest. The Huni Kuin call it the queen of the jungle and the Mother of the Forest.

Why is the Samaúma called the Mother of the Forest?

Because it rises above everything and stands deep in the ground with its plank roots. In the tradition, it connects heaven and earth. Through the tree, the ancestors can flow back to the earth. That is what we tell as an image from the tradition.

Is Samaúma suitable as a first rapé?

Rather not. Samaúma has strength 6 out of 7. Start with Tsunu, Rosa, or Murici. Do you already know rapé? Then Samaúma is a beautiful next step. Also start with a small quantity.

Do I have to believe in ancestors to use Samaúma?

No. Openness is enough. Many people without a specific belief are surprised by what they experience.

What is the difference between Samaúma and 7 Eva's?

Samaúma is about one tree and one line: from the earth to the heaven. Many people experience it as overview and connection with the ancestors. 7 Eva's is a blend of seven ingredients with three types of ash. Broader, and also very strong. Samaúma has strength 6 out of 7, 7 Eva's 5 out of 7.

Can I use Samaúma outside?

Yes, even better. Many people use it in the evening under the open sky. Find a quiet, safe place and sit for a moment afterwards.

How long does a moment with Samaúma last?

Many people experience the first 20 to 40 minutes as the most intense. The feeling of connection often lingers longer. Sometimes hours, sometimes another few days. It differs per person and per moment.

Read and discover more

• Rapé types explained: all 15 in a row
• Buying rapé: what do you pay attention to?
• Compare all types by strength
• What is rapé? The guide for beginners
• Using rapé safely: technique, quantity 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 sturdy basis, also for beginners
• 7 Eva's: seven ingredients, three types of ash
• Mulateiro: the tree that renews its bark every year
• Want to research first? Five Rapéh's: 7 Eva's, Samaúma, Katsarau, Caneleiro, and Mulateiro as a sample set
• Personal advice? Send Kevin a message

View all 15 types

Product details

With the ash of the Samaúma tree (Ceiba pentandra), the kapok tree. Super finely ground. Made by hand by the Huni Kuin in Acre, Brazil. Strength 6 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 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.