December 18, 2009
Happy Holidays
Pablo Amaringo, curandero and painter, passed away last November. I had the pleasure of meeting him and hearing him speak on his work in Iquitos a few years back. Truly an amazing artist and man.
The following is an excerpt from Luis Edward Luna's book on Amaringo. Pablo describes his first ayahuasca session during a healing ritual to cure his sister of hepatitis, and what laid the groundwork for his vocation as a curandero.
"She had with her a little bottle. Eight vegetalistas accompanied her, because their healing powers had become torcido [twisted], and she was going to help them. I was surprised because I thought that we were too many people for the little amount of ayahuasca she had with her. She gave ayahuasca to my brother Manuel. Then she offered it to me. I didn't want to take it. She insisted, 'don't be a coward.' She gave us only a little spoonful of ayahuasca. Even after we took some there was still ayahuasca left, because she gave each of us very little.
The woman was wearing the clothes of a priestess. She took a sword and began to sing beautifully. Suddenly she began to levitate, while we were all looking at her. She was singing and dancing suspended in the air. When I saw this I felt a cold sensation rising from my feet. I asked my brother for a jacket, because I was freezing. The woman ordered, 'Blow out the lights!' As soon as this was done, I heard a sound like that of a canon shot, so strong that I thought my eardrum would explode. Then I saw a tremendous machine in the air, like a flying saucer. The machine was moving, with the sound of a large motor. Then I saw a huge anaconda with the head of a woman that came from the depth of the earth. She was wearing a crown and beautiful earrings. The body of the anaconda was blue, with golden spots.
I ran away. I was very frightened. I felt crazy. My mother appeared and became angry with me because I had taken ayahuasca. My brother blew tobacco smoke on top of me, and then I calmed down. I saw the powers of my brother. Angles with the most beautiful faces descended from the sky, their vibrant clothes producing extraordinary music. They covered me the flowers and delectable perfumes and took to me to a place they said was in France. I didn't want to go back to the session but I did. I sat on a chair to the side. From time to time I looked at the woman. I first saw her like a nun. Then like an actress sitting on a throne, which was like a golden bowl. Then like a prophet, like a Roman soldier, like a yacupuma [water jaguar], like a bat.
Then beautiful women carrying baskets with the most beautiful and aromatic flowers came to me and crowned me. I was given the mantle of a scepter, large and small swords, a knife, and animal guardians: wolves, a bear, a tiger, a panther, an eagle, worms, and other animals which I cannot recognize in the world, even though I have been looking for them. They came with beautiful flowers, white and pink. I saw that, but I could not understand what they were doing. I thought they were only having fun. But I felt like a king. They gave me an elegant throne. They were beautiful, well-dressed, gave me the flowers, gave me a kiss, and left. Only later did I understand that the white flowers symbolized the medicine I was about to practice, and the pink flowers the defenses I was to use. But there were no red flowers, which represent witchcraft, or black ones, which represent sorcery.
When the curandera saw that I was being crowned, she said, 'There is treason here. There are other beings present.' Then I heard the icaro of my father. The spirits my father had given me arrived. One of the queens that had come with the flowers said to me 'We were with her [referring to the curandera]. Now we are coming to be with you, so that you will be strong. You will have guardians to your right and to your left.'"
Rest in peace.
Pablo Amaringo: Pregnant by an Anaconda
