Today was the initiation for Koku, Yew, Aisha, Aragon, Lea & Mina.
It was very festive, with a lot of speeches, and afterwards dancing at the Xoco.
Hello everyone, tapirape family, friends, thank you for being present for this important moment.
Years ago, our ancestors created in this jungle, our tribe “tapirape”, which is the oldest tribe of the jungle, conceived in the idea of freedom, and a spiritual life and rituals and help our loved ones and our allies.
Today you new tapirape you will be part of our family, and thus perpetuate our family It’s a great tradition.
It’s up to us and you now, about to dedicate yourself here to the tribe, through your efforts, your investment, your interest, for our tribe that we can continue the unfinished work of our ancestors and in the desire to defend it and promote our tribe.
Do not forget.. every time you wonder how far you can go. Just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you’ve faced, all the battles you’ve won, and all the fears you’ve overcome.
We started off the Día de lost Muertos month with a Naked Wednesday celebration and a jungle hunt for the icons of Poco, Pillo, Loco and Gordita. The dead Bird, Cat, Uncle and Aunt.
Sunisa found all the icons first
After a prayer the hunt started, and we finished up with Whisper and Alli, painting the icons on peoples bodies.
Here are more pictures form the event, taken by Kwanita and Catten
This Wednesday people went to Wind Temple to pray to the gods after the ritual bath.
The crow awaits the gods
There was a lot of praying and a lot of response from the gods at wind temple
Naked Wednesday in Tapirape! But this time it’s more breezy
One of the oldest tribe in Amazon: Tapirape held a fun event last week. Tapirape, used to make naked dances on Wednesdays and last time they also get together to make their wishes to the God of Storm.
The way this tradition started is quite interesting. It all started one day when a troublesome Seeker came to the Tapirape camp. She made fun of the tribe and mocked them. Therefore, the tribe members couldn’t stand with this situation and started to chase the Seeker. After chasing for a while they cornered her. But then, something really horrible happened. She said that if they don’t let her go she would go to Monks and tell them to curse their tribe and curse their goats! Then they promised not to touch her. She told them to stay naked for a month to avoid having their livestocks killed. And they were compelled to accept this offer. Eventually, to ensure the welfare of their animals it was decided to continue naked ritual once a week and to dedicate the day to the Gods and the Seekers… It was the birth of a tradition. A tradition established in the name of peace.
Last wednesday they firstly gathered in the camp to perform this tradition again. Together they went down to the river, washed their bodies and cleansed themselves from dirts. Shaman Whispering told they will visit God of Storms Chaahk and asked their participants to prepare a wish. Then, when the participants got more crowded, they came to the top of the temple to meet Chaahk. Shaman knelt before the God, showed her respect, and made a wish. But God’s response was fast and more aggressive than they expected. Before they could understand what is happening, a lightning bolt struck them, and a large tornado came and blew up the entire crowd. Participants were screaming, trying to hold on to each other. And they were thrown all around. But yet they still came back to God again. I don’t think Shaman made the God angry cause afterwards other people made their wishes too and respond was only same. Wishes were like ”Longevity and health for Tapirape tribe”, ”Golds and Pearls”, ”Curse the land and all of the people in it”, ”More cocks” and other humble wishes like these. After flying around for a while, like they never get tired; they did gather around the fire and danced to celebrate the day.
I think this is the language of the Gods. Being a ‘little’ violent. Maybe God of Storms might trying to say ”Okay, count it done.” Who knows? Watching the flow of time left to us and seeing if wishes really come true. Although it was a ‘shaky’ event, it was quite entertaining, instructive and hot. And I’m not hesitate to call this ritual ”The Joy of Amazon”.
This Wednesday we had a new year ritual. It was a lot of fun for everyone, except the poor goat!
The Shaman dances for the goat before the ritualBubba gives a very profound speech.
Bubba Oh: “My Tapi Family!” Bubba Oh: “Friends!” Bubba Oh: “Citizens of the jungle!” Bubba Oh: “Carnival is soon upon us! And Carnival brings the new year.” Bubba Oh: “It has always been a Tapirapé custom to greet the new year, and honor the Gods with a sacrifice” Bubba Oh: “To give thanks for our prosperity and to ensure the Gods favor for the comming year” Bubba Oh: “We Tapi are obedient to the Gods, andd we have always honored them and their Seeker daughters” Bubba Oh: “Today we offer up the healthy and well groomed goat!” Bubba Oh: “May its strong loins please Mama Allpa!” Bubba Oh: “May it’s well kept fur please Mama Cocha!” Bubba Oh: “May it death please Supay!” Bubba Oh: Raises his hands Bubba Oh: “Tapirapé! May the new year bring us prosperity!” Bubba Oh: The elder leaves the dais
Bubba Oh
Shaman Whispering Wind sacrifices the goat
Whispering Wind (Maryam Camino): Stands in front of the goat, closes eyes in a silent prayer and a shiver runs through her body Whispering Wind (Maryam Camino): Takes a knife and holds the goats head firmly in one hand and in a decisive move, cuts the goats throat while saying, “Let the blood to flow freely onto the ground as a symbol of our offering to the gods.” Whispering Wind (Maryam Camino): looks at the blood and says with gratitude, “May this blood satiate the soil of this jungle. We spill the blood to appease the evil spirits, so we can spread it around the jungle, as a symbol of protection and blessing.”
Whispering Wind
Summer with the goat’s bloodAtan with the goat’s liver
ATAN ‘IHΞYU (Aishe Aabye): /me takes the liver “let’s sacrifice the liver, the symbol of the spark of life” raises it in the air, offering it to the fire. ATAN ‘IHΞYU (Aishe Aabye): /me starts praying, “O great gods of the jungle, we offer you this goat liver in humble appreciation of your benevolence. We thank you for all that you have given us and for your guidance.” ATAN ‘IHΞYU (Aishe Aabye): “We ask for your blessings and protection for our tribe. May we continue to be prosperous, healthy, and safe. Guide us with your wisdom and provide us with the sustenance we need to thrive.”
Atan
Belleniko in a gruesome display, reading the goats intestine
Belleniko Resident: Oh Thou Who Art The creepiest, crawliest, chaotic creature that ever crept from a crypt; Belleniko Resident: Oh Thou Who Art The terrifying, tenacious, turbulent, tumescent and tactless tumbler of temples; Belleniko Resident: Oh Thou Who Art The horrifying, hideous, heart-freezing head-honcho of hangover hallucinations; Belleniko Resident: Oh Thou Who Art The long-waiting, legendary, lethally lubricious liquescent lawgiver of laxative liturgy; Your servant call upon you! Belleniko Resident: Oh Great Goat Let me have a key from these bowels to foretell to this tribe any misfortune or nefariousness that will have to be faced this year Belleniko Resident: She leans over the guts and starts to recognise a pattern “Thank you Great Goat, with your blessing I can now interpret the loops of these intestines which reveal to me some certainties for this calendar year”
Belleniko Resident: shouts: here are the predictions Belleniko Resident: – even during this year James will continue to say a lot of crap! Belleniko Resident: – Belleniko will continue to use huge vegetables for sexual satisfaction as no one will dare fu…. her… especially after today’s performance! Belleniko Resident: – In the fourth quarter of the year Regor will compare his male member with all the males of the tribe, discovering that he has the longest one of all Belleniko Resident: – In June, Catten will be distracted again by the Lead Shaman’s Boobies and will fall into the river much to the delight of the crocodiles Belleniko Resident: – next December Bubba will be a year older… but how many do he have??? Belleniko Resident: – Naux will manage during an April Xoco Friday Party to pick the lock of Khaing’s loincloth, who will finally be pushed to show to the jubilant world her cute butterfly! Belleniko Resident: – After the holidays, Maccus will recover from the shock of seeing his beloved goat killed by those wretched Tapis and will finally come out and mate with a black ram. Belleniko Resident: Suddenly she rolls her eyes and lets out a heart-wrenching scream and breaks the connection with the Great Goat, collapsing into the bowels.
It was a great initation ceremony for Atan, Jonas and Tichi. New decoration and a great speech from our elder bubba.
Jonas, Tichi and Atan listening to the Shaman
Bubba Oh: Coughs and ruffles the papers and puts on his glasses… Bubba Oh: “Ahem…” Bubba Oh: “Uhnnn…” Bubba Oh: “Welll Young Tapis!” Whispering Wind (maryam.camino): looks fascinated to bubba spectacles Bubba Oh: Squints at the greasy papers and then says with his best politicians voice… Bubba Oh: “Three score years ago our ancestors brought forth in this jungle, a new tribe, conceived in the idea of freedom, and dedicated to the smoking of hemp leaves.” Bubba Oh: Looks at the Shaman and Summer… Bubba Oh: “Now we are engaged in in bringeing forth a new generation of Tapirapé, to test whether our tribe, our family so conceived and so dedicated, can endure.” Bubba Oh: Smugly looks at the new Tapis… Bubba Oh: “We have come to dedicate you – young souls to this great tradition. To sanctify you before our almighty mother Mama Cocha our mother river.” Tichi’Una (tichiuna.skydancer) smiles at Bubba. Bubba Oh: “The mother river, who has always encircled this land, this land from which we spring.” Bubba Oh: “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. Our ancestors, our dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. “ Bubba Oh: Bubba now looks VERY satisfied with his oratorical ability! Bubba Oh: “The jungle will little note, nor long remember what I – poor elder – say here, but it can never be forgotten what our ancestors did here. For they ARE the jungle itself!” Bubba Oh: “Yet it is for us the living, for you about to dedicated here to the tribe, to work this unfinishable work which our honered ancestors have started – and which we – your elders – humbly try to advance!” Bubba Oh: “And this brings me to Mama Cochas daughter Mama Quilla, patron of you Tapirapé women and of the institution of marriage.” Whispering Wind (maryam.camino): nods vehemently Bubba Oh: He shakes his head as if he lost the thread of his words… Shakies his head and ruffles the papers… Bubba Oh: “But this is the Amazon, so not long will I dwell on the subject of marriage – for its importance is given, but instead I must turn my attention to Mama Allpa, and the deed of fornication, for fornication is what will advance our tribe, and when fornicating, you must always endeavour to preserve the pure native blood of the Tapirapé tribe – you shall not! must not! soil your loins – like a certain other tribe, that shall go unmentioned!” Bubba Oh whispers: “Did I really write that Shaman?!” Bubba Oh: Picks himself up… Bubba Oh: “And so, when join – join not only in the huts! Join on the land – in the river against the trees! That you may please the Gods of the jungle, make the tribe greater bring fertility – like the priest of the Tapirapé you are about to become!” Whispering Wind (maryam.camino): blinks impressed with the wisdom of the elder Catten Carter: laughs loud and wipes tears, then applauds, “best speech ever bubba” Tichi’Una (tichiuna.skydancer) stifles a laugh, covering her mouth. Summer (summergentlewhisper) smiles..”awesome “ ATAN I’HΞYU (aishe.aabye) raises an eyebrow and smiles Bubba Oh: Looks very VERY satisfied with himself there – as he folds up the papers Bubba Oh: “And Now You are proper Tapis!” MansooR RedChilli (mansoor50): heck…bubbah is the only honest politicna i know Catten Carter: applauds, “well done bubba!” Bubba Oh whispers: “Catten what doesd ‘fornicate’ mean?”
