Event Description

We invite you to join us for a special evening with the Noke Koi People of the Brazilian Amazon. We have the honor of receiving 89-year-old elder Romeya Mekē Waninawa, one of the most respected shamans and leaders of his people, together with his family. This gathering offers a rare opportunity to be in the presence of a living library of the Amazon Rainforest, receiving wisdom that bridges ancestral memory and contemporary life.

The evening will include live music from the Noke Koî, expressed in both traditional and contemporary forms, creating a space of celebration, culture, and connection. Participants will also have the chance to engage in dialogue, explore the Indigenous Mercado, and share in community. For those who feel called, the sacred medicine of hapé will be served as part of the evening’s offerings, though it is completely optional.

The Noke Koî

The Noke Koî, also known as the True People, are the guardians of the Amazon Rainforest, residing in three territories—Rio Gregório, Rio Campinas, and Rio Tauari—within the state of Acre, Brazil. Known for preserving one of the most intact Indigenous cultures in the region, they are unique in Acre for maintaining their mother tongue, Noke Vana, across their entire population with minimal exposure to the Portuguese language. Their culture, language, and traditions have remained resilient for millennia.

Deeply connected with the land, animals, water, and all beings in their territory, the Noke Koî’s ancestral wisdom is rooted in the balance of various medicinal practices, including Rome Poto (rapé), Vetxe Sheti (sananga), Oni (ayahuasca), Sēpa (incense), Kãpo (kambo), and Ni’i Pe’i (medicinal plants). Their Txiriti (traditional chants) and Saiti (shamanic prayers) carry profound meanings, remaining largely unchanged over centuries. Long overlooked, the Noke Koî are now emerging to safeguard their culture while facing challenges like hunger, water contamination, and high infant mortality. Despite these struggles, they remain resilient in their commitment to preserving their heritage and ensuring a thriving future for their people.

Nawabu Culture

Nawabu Culture is a fiscally sponsored LLC social impact organization with a mission to bring about transformative social change through Indigeneity, arts and culture, community, and spirituality. We partner with Indigenous leaders from the Brazilian Amazon and support them in cultural preservation, creating economic opportunities, and amplifying their environmental stewardship through a variety of projects. Nawabu’s work is also aimed at creating sacred spaces for healing and solidarity across communities for individual and collective liberation. 

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