This document summarizes a journey taken by 17 women to the remote rainforest home of the Achuar people in Ecuador. The group traveled through Quito and the Andes, learning traditional crafts from the Salasaca people. They then flew into the rainforest, staying at an eco-lodge and visiting Achuar villages. The women participated in cultural activities like a morning tea ceremony, visited a school, and learned pottery and blowgun skills. They witnessed the Achuar's sustainable way of life before returning with new understandings of the indigenous people and rainforest.

1. ShAmazing
Women’s Journey
to the Rainforest
Unleashing the
Divine Feminine
November 2009

2. We each heard a call from the rainforest …
To partake in a journey of the heart to rebirth the Divine Feminine at
the womb of our planet into the consciousness of all humanity.

3. Our destination: The remote rainforest home of the
Achuar people in the Upper Amazon Basin of Ecuador.

4. The Achuar are an ancient dream culture and the
natural custodians of their rainforest home ~
a pristine rainforest with no oil development, lumber or
mining.

5. As an indigenous nation, they have taken a bold stand to preserve
their rainforest and ancient culture. In partnership with The
Pachamama Alliance, they have stood strong.
We traveled with Pachamama at the invitation of the Achuar.

6. Our tribe of 17 “shAmazing” women on a journey of many life times!
Maidens and mothers traveling together as sisters …

7. We gathered in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. A city of over 1 million people
at 9,350 ft (2,850m) surrounded by active volcanoes including Cototapaxi to
the south, Pinchincha to the west and others north and east.

8. Some explored the “Old
City” of Quito with its
beautiful cathedrals and
Colonial Plaza Grande
before our journey to the
rainforest began.

9. Leaving Quito, we traveled by bus south taking in the beauty of this country.
We traveled down the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” passing Cotopaxi and other
active volcanoes in route to Salasaca, an Andean indigenous community.

10. We were taking in the rich agriculture that would provide us
with deeply nourishing foods . . .

11. At Hostal Runa Huasi, we were greeted by Alonso Pillo and his family

12. And served a nutritious lunch of organic legumes,
vegetables, fruits, free range chickens, and love!

13. Mother and daughter
taught us to spin wool

14. Their three generations spin
and weave as a family.

15. Delighting in life itself, Grandmother
took great delight in our feeble
attempts to learn to spin…

16. Alonso and his son
demonstrated their weaving
skills, a family tradition
passed on for many
generations.
Salasacas, like the Achuar,
are a strong community with
a bold commitment to
preserve their culture and
ancient ways.
Their intricate designs have
very specific meanings.

17. Late afternoon Mt Tungurahua greeted us capping the
awe inspiring landscape of the Andean highlands.

18. Descending the Andes to the edge of the rainforest, we join the
Pastaza River. We followed the Pastaza by bus and then by plane
to a dirt landing strip in the remote “Oriente”.

19. On the edge of the rainforest we stayed at El Hardin Lodge in Puyo, Ecuador.

20. A luscious tropical setting

21. Where we were greeted
by macaws and parrots
of the rainforest.

22. Narcisa, and her husband Santiago Kawarim, greeted us for dinner.
9 months pregnant, Narcisa, told us about the Jungle Mamas project to
educate Achuar women in safe maternity and infant care practices.

23. We flew AeroTsentsak into the rainforest . Tsentsak is the Achuar word for
the magic darts shamans use in their healings.
Having their own air service, provides the Achuar with vital access to their
remote villages without building roads that would dissect the rainforest,
threaten wildlife, and encourage settlement sprawl.

24. And we are off, shuttled in
two separate flights!

25. Leaving towns on the edge of the rainforest behind us,

26. The Amazon stretches out like one big patch of broccoli as far as the eye can
see. A land with no roads, only rivers, and trails cut by machete.

27. 45 minutes later we see the beautiful Kapawi Eco-tourist Lodge.

28. We headed to a dirt runway along the banks
of the sprawling Pastaza River whose waters
flow to the Amazon.

29. We landed in the remote village of Wachirpas less than 20
miles up river from the Peruvian border.

30. A canoe met us in the Pastaza River below the end of the runway.

31. The dock showed how low the
rivers were.
Ecuador has been enduring an
extended drought that caused
power outages in Quito and
Puyo, dried agricultural fields in
the Andes, and now leaves the
rivers unseasonably low.
The Achuar told us that turtle
eggs are exposed and drying in
the hot sun so that the numbers
of turtles have drastically
reduced.
In years past turtles lined the
logs floating in the rivers. This
year we saw no turtles.

32. We canoed for over
half an hour across
the Pastaza and up
the Capahuari River
to Kapawi Lodge.
The exuberance of
abundant life on the
river in the rainforest
is contagious …

33. Along the way children played in the water and along the river banks.
Rivers are the Achuar’s primary source for transportation among villages.

35. Layer upon layer of greenery
and flora form the various
levels of the rainforest
canopy.

36. A part of our group arrives
at the Kapawi dock on the
Capahuari River.

37. A boardwalk of
bamboo and native
wood cuts through the
forest from the dock to
Kapawi Lodge

38. The 20 guest cabins at Kapawi were built by the Achuar
using ancient traditional construction techniques.

39. No nails or screws were used in construction. Only pegs and holes, notches
and lashes as seen in the support structure for the roof.

40. Originally built on the edge of a lagoon, the rainforest is ever changing.

41. At the door to her cabin,
Gracie delights with her
Kapawi issued rainforest
boots.
They kept our feet dry on
wet trails whenever we left
the lodge …

42. Kapawi is comfortably
inviting with drinkable
water in the taps And hot showers on sunny days!

43. Our first afternoon at Kapawi we went for a jungle hike. Our
Achuar guides pointed out plants, inserts, birds and animals.
Celestino like most Achuar we met loves to smile and laugh.

44. We saw the brilliant
Morpho butterfly
known for its iridescent
blue wings.

45. The thin nutrient layer of the
rainforest soil does not support
deep roots.
Buttressing root systems and As are “walking” palms which extend
strangle wood growth is every new roots to follow the sunlight.
where.

46. Termites are the composters and
live in massive mud nests.
Ferns emerge from the forest floor

47. Vines climb from the forest floor to the canopy above.

48. Throughout antiquity the
forest provided indigenous
peoples with all their needs.
Santos demonstrates how
the Achuar fold palm leaves
to create thatch for traditional
Achuar roofs.

49. Celestino shows how
the Achuar use the
fibers from various
plants for building,
weaving and making
so many things –
Combs, baskets, twine
for roofs and buildings.
Later he would cut
walking sticks for the
tribe.

50. The Achuar rise before sun for their morning wayusa tea ceremony to
share their dreams, plan their day, and instruct their children.

51. Our first morning, we were up at 3:30am to travel by
canoe to the village of Kusutkau for wayusa tea and to
share our dreams in Achuar homes…

52. During the wayusa, we
learned about Achuar
culture including that
marriage ceremonies
occur during the wayusa
ceremony.
We were moved by the
simplicity of life.
Typical Achuar homes have no
walls and little furniture.
Wooden benches line the
public area of the home. A few
pieces of clothing hang from
pegs or on lines to dry.

53. Wooden shelves serve as beds.
One end of the house is the women’s area with a continuous fire and a
few metal pots for brewing wayusa tea and chicha, their manioc staple.

54. Formerly purely hunter gatherers, the Achuar now raise chickens as
an important source of protein. A nice chicken coup …

55. Education is important to the Achuar. Most villages have their own
government provided school. Part of our tribe visited the school in
Kusutkau.

56. Boys and girls attend school
taught in Spanish following a
national curriculum.
The Achuar recognized that
having Achuar teachers would
help preserve their language
and culture.

57. The Pachamama Alliance has funded training
for Achuar teachers so the Achuar could be
taught in their own language.

58. We were invited into one woman’s
chakra in Kusutkau.

59. Women tend their
chakras while singing
sacred anents to
Nunkui, spirits of the
gardens.
The main products
grown are manioc,
bananas, papaya, sweet
potatoes, hot chilies,
sugar cane, palms, and
many medicinal and
other useful plants.
Manioc is their main
staple which they drink
as chicha. Women brew
and chew the manioc
which causes it to
ferment mildly.

60. In the chakra, we disturbed a wasp’s nest and several of our tribe were stung.
Wasp medicine is about protective nourishment and role fulfillment. It
teaches the lesson of fulfilling one’s role and responsibilities, revealing how
to construct and nurture our dreams.

61. An Achuar woman taught us how to create pottery bowls with intricate designs.
The men then judged our work and the women corrected them!

62. After sharing their
crafts, sacred anents,
and ancient traditions,
our gracious hosts
served a traditional
Achuar meal on
banana leaves.
The meal included
fish, manioc and
potato cooked in a
banana leaf wrapping.

63. We shared a few songs of our own, including our own Spanish version of “In
the jungle, the mighty jungle the jaguar sleeps …”

64. To the laughter and delight of our hosts!

65. It’s not a violin ~ or a viola ~
but she lit up the hearts of all who heard her!

66. Our tribe in the community long house with our hosts in Kutuskau.

67. Leaving Kusutkau we were blessed with our first rain in the rainforest!

68. Over the next few days the
rains came at the perfect time.

69. And added to the magic of our journey.

70. On November 11
we traveled by
canoe to a
shaman’s village.
At 11:11 pm
Kathleen lead a
worldwide
meditation to
unleash the Divine
Feminine …

71. In route to Wayusentsa
we stopped for a hike in
the forest.

72. We listened to
the sounds of
the birds and
the forest.
We admired
the majestic
world around
us.

73. Simon shared magical legends of the kapok tree and sacred Achuar traditions.

74. Debra spotted pink dolphins … and we continued up the river to Wayusentsa.

75. At sunset we visited the shaman’s house.
Mary Elizabeth brought gifts in an abalone shell
from an American shaman which we had blessed,
Monica presented school supplies, and
Christen delighted the family with her harmonica.
We were touched when our host said he would be sad to see our group leave.

76. As we left Wayusentsa the next morning, a
swarm of butterflies hovered around the
dock. Butterflies and transformation were
all around us …

77. Later in the afternoon most rested while others kayaked with pink fresh
water dolphins! The magic continues!

78. The sun sets on the Capahauri River bringing to close another magical day
in the rainforest.

79. Mary Elizabeth
celebrates a
journey of many
life times!

80. A love pile as our group prepares to watch Dream People of the Amazon,
the story of the Achuar and the work of The Pachamama Alliance.

81. The morning we are leaving, Simon paints our faces with achiote paste.

82. Debra
Cassidy
Each woman gets her
own unique design.

83. Monica and Simon

84. Ashley and Joyce

85. Christen, Ashley, Katelyn, and Monica

86. Fierce hunters, the Achuar teach us how to shoot with a blowgun.

87. The Achuar use
“cotton” from the
Kapok tree to
create a seal so the
dart can be blown
once it is inserted
into the 9 foot long
blow gun.
The darts are
dipped in a lethal
curare poison.

88. Christen demonstrates her warrior skills …

89. At the dock as …

90. Our first group departs Kapawi for our flight out

91. Taking with us the divine sweetness of the forest.

92. From the airstrip at Wachirpas

93. We take off!

94. We shuttle out on
three flights.

95. Taking with us the Divinely Feminine magic and
the blessings of the rainforest in our hearts.

96. Back in the airport in Shell with new and
some not so new treats.

97. Together
again as one
group we
wind our way
up the Andes
to Luna
Runtun with
the feminine
volcano
Tungurahua
towering
above us.

98. A lush mountain resort

99. With bountiful flowers

100. And a most delicious spa!

101. A breathtaking setting for our bathing beauties

102. A time for integrating, sharing our discoveries and our dreams over feasts

103. Of fruits and vegetables
grown on the property.

104. A time for basking in the love we share
and for integrating the lessons of the rainforest.

105. On our last day together
we ventured up the
mountain to find the
perfect spot for our
closing ritual.

106. Hiking in the spirit of condor and eagle …

107. We created an altar
with sacred artifacts
from each of us.
Setting our intentions,
we created a healing &
gratitude ceremony of
the heart with music,
dancing, laughter and
singing.

108. Our closing circle

109. Unleashing
the
magic
of
the
Divine
Feminine!

110. Before boarding our bus one last time …

111. Passing Cotapaxi on our way back to Quito and the modern world …

112. We celebrate our magical journey together at Café Cultura in Quito our last
night with deep joy and gratitude for all we have experienced and the
sisterhood we have created!

113. With love and gratitude
to our ShAmazing Tribe
for all we have shared …
It has only just begun!

114. Kathleen McIntire ~ our leader and divine
inspiration
Robin Milam ~ jaguar leader
Christina “Cuqui” Serrano ~ our Ecuadorian
guide who so open heartedly shares her
love of her country and the Achuar!

115. Christen Lien
Liberty BlueSkyes Katelyn Lyster

116. Sushila Mertens
Monica Niess
Sarah Kell

117. Cassidy Rast
Whitney Kear Katie Rast

118. Debra Burke
Mary Elizabeth Young Gracie MacKenzie

119. Ashley Sears
Joyce Sears

120. Achuar “woman”