In short
- Our rapé comes from Acre, a state in the north-west of Brazil, in the Amazon.
- It is made by hand by the Huni Kuin, the largest Indigenous people of Acre.
- I am in touch with a Huni Kuin village in Acre every day.
- They get the price they ask for. And part of the proceeds goes back to the village.
- Almost every month a new shipment arrives, bottled straight away in dark glass.
Just imagine. You open your bottle of rapé. You smell ash, wood and something warm. Thousands of kilometres away, someone is standing in the morning sun. He pounds leaves into powder and sings softly. Around him you hear birds and the river. The powder you are smelling now began its journey there.
I am Kevin Lorenzini, ceremony leader and founder of Purity Healing. In this blog I take you to the place where our rapé comes from: Acre, and the Huni Kuin who live there.
Where is Acre?
Acre is a state in the far north-west of Brazil. It borders Peru and Bolivia. The capital is Rio Branco. Much of Acre is rainforest, cut through by rivers. Acre has been part of Brazil since 1903.
Acre is far away, in time as well. It is 5 to 7 hours behind most of Europe. Seen from the Netherlands, it is 6 hours earlier there in our winter and 7 hours in our summer. If I call at eight in the evening in winter, it is two in the afternoon there.
The Huni Kuin: the makers of our rapé
The Huni Kuin are the largest Indigenous people of Acre. They live along the Tarauacá, Jordão, Breu, Muru and Purus rivers. Huni Kuin means "the True People".
Sometimes you also read the name Kaxinawá. That name was given to them by others. They themselves choose Huni Kuin. That is why we only use that name. You can read more about their history and their view of the world in The Huni Kuin.
How our bond began
About eight years ago, in the Netherlands, I met Huni Kuin from a village in Acre. A close bond grew from that meeting. To this day we are in touch every day, through WhatsApp and video calls.
I learn from them one to one. How rapé is made. How to recognise the plants. About Kambo and other medicines of the forest. I receive photos and videos from the village. That way I see the trees, the fire and the hands at work.
I deliberately do not name the village or the people. I want to protect their peace. There is no need for a stream of visitors. Going to the village is at the top of my list.
Huni Kuin rapé: from tree to powder
Everything is done by hand. No machines are involved.
The ash of a tree
Every blend starts with a plant or a tree. Take Tsunu. It is a specific tree from Acre. The word Tsunu means ash. The Huni Kuin make ash from its bark and branches. The tree they choose shapes the character of the rapé.
Drying, pounding, sifting
The leaves are dried and pounded. The sun crumbles them even further. Then everything goes through a large sieve. While they work, they sing and pray.
That is why our rapé is so fine. Not grainy, but almost like dust. The texture shows how much handwork goes into it. Experienced users recognise that straight away. It is very different from bulk rapé from a wholesaler.
From their hands to your ritual
Almost every month a new shipment arrives, in small batches. As soon as it is here, the rapé goes straight into a dark bottle. The glass blocks UV light. That way the prayers and songs stay captured in the bottle.
Then we pack your order by hand. DHL takes it from the Netherlands to you, almost anywhere in Europe. You can read how that works in Ordering rapé in Europe.
When you open the bottle, take a calm moment to smell it. You will notice how fresh it is.
A fair price
In the West we can buy anything. In the forest there is poverty, but also a wealth that we miss: nature, and knowledge we have lost. Purity works within that contrast. The aim is to keep the people and the medicines as pure as possible.
So it is simple. They get the price they ask for. I never haggle. And on top of that, part of the proceeds goes back to the village.
Why the forest matters
The forest is the home of the Huni Kuin. It is also their knowledge. If the forest disappears, that knowledge disappears with it. Whoever uses rapé is connected to that place, whether you feel it or not. So use it with respect, and choose makers you know.
Frequently asked questions
Where does your rapé come from?
From Acre, a state in the north-west of Brazil. It is made by hand by the Huni Kuin, the largest Indigenous people of Acre.
Why don't you name the village?
To protect the peace of the village and its people. I don't want to send a stream of visitors their way.
Do the makers get a fair price?
Yes. They get the price they ask for. I never haggle. And on top of that, part of the proceeds goes back to the village.
How often does new rapé arrive?
Almost every month, in small batches. As soon as it arrives, it goes straight into a dark bottle.
Sources
- Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), Povos Indígenas no Brasil: Huni Kuin
Would you like to discover the rapé of the Huni Kuin for yourself? Take the rapé guide, or take your time and look around.
