SEARCHING FOR PARIKA AMAZONIAN SHAMANS REVITALIZATION PROJECT

 THIS SHORT FILM "SEARCHING FOR PARIIKA" WAS FILMED BY A BANIWA NATIVE WOMAN FROM THE NORTHWEST AMAZON, WHOSE FATHER WAS AND STILL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SHAMAN OF THE ENTIRE REGION OF THE NW AMAZON. GIVEN THE RAPID DECLINE IN NUMBER OF APPRENTICES IN RECENT YEARS, CHIEF SHAMAN MANDU OF THE BANIWA PEOPLE, AGREED TO TELL HIS LIFE-STORY AS A SHAMAN, AND TO EXPLAIN ABOUT HOW SHAMANS' TRAVEL IN THE COSMOS. THE CLIP (EDITED FROM 3 HOURS OF FOOTAGE) SHOWS A GROUP OF 12 APPRENTICES WALKING AND CANOEING TO A SPOT IN THE AMAZON FOREST WHERE THERE ARE PLENTIFUL TREES THE INNER BARK OF WHICH PROVIDES A SNUFF THAT SHAMans use to allow their souls to travel outside their bodies. AFTER OBTAININH A LARGE QUANTITY OF THE BARK, THE STRIPS ARE SOAKED THEN PASSED OVER THE FLAMES OF FIRE TO PRODUCE A DARK REDDISH-BROWN LIQUID THAT IS DRIED INTO A POWDER TO BE USED ONLY BY THE SHAMANS TO TRAVEL TO THE OTHER WORLD.