FIRST SHAMAN COURSE BRINGS TOGETHER TIKMŨ'ŨN PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND SPIRITUALITY
January 10-13, 2025
From January 10th to 13th, the Tikmũ'ũn-Maxakali community gathered in Vila Nova Village, located in the Maxakali Indigenous Territory, Minas Gerais, for the first Shaman Course. The event marked an unprecedented moment of celebration and strengthening of the cultural, spiritual, and social practices of the shamans, considered pillars of Indigenous tradition.
During the meeting, spiritual leaders, women, children, and agroforestry agents shared knowledge and experiences, reaffirming the Tikmũ'ũn people's deep connection to their land, their history, and their sacred songs.
According to Rosângela de Tugny, general coordinator of the Hãmhi | Terra Viva project, the meeting was a historic milestone. "With all these villages and all this historical contingency that isolated the shamans, the opportunity to meet at this time was very important and intense. The number of chants, their power, and the fact that all the shamans were brought together to sing together was truly remarkable."
Exchanges, memories and songs for the land and the future
Photo: Joabe Lima
The shamans used the meeting to emphasize the urgent need to "heal the land" and remembered historical figures who fought for land, such as Cascorado and Capa Onça, leaders assassinated for demanding territorial expansion. The discussion reinforced the Tikmũ'ũn's leading role in building projects that not only promote sustainability but also maintain the community's cultural practices and autonomy.
"Shamans are guardians of history, they preserve the memories of their ancestors and are passing on their knowledge to young people to continue strengthening our territory. We will heal the land," says Isael Maxakali, a leader, researcher with a PhD from UFMG, artist, and filmmaker.
Another important moment was the distribution of native seeds, including Jerivá seeds, donated by Teia dos Povos. For Rosângela, the donation held special symbolism: "There was a lot of remembrance of the ancestral seeds, and the shamans expressed great happiness upon receiving the seeds. It was a moment of renewal and hope," she says.
The experience at the nursery school, known as the "womb of the forest," also moved participants. During the activities, groups of shamans and women sang among the seedlings, transforming the space into a veritable "sound box."
Hãmhi | Terra Viva: a transformation in progress
Photo: Joabe Lima
The Shaman Course was held in a region already experiencing positive results from the Hãmhi | Terra Viva project, designed by a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers in partnership with the Opaoká Institute and with the support of the Minas Gerais Public Prosecutor's Office. In a year and a half, the project restored 150 hectares of Atlantic Forest and established 60 hectares of agroforestry farms, strengthening the community's food and cultural sovereignty.
The event concluded with intense farewell runs, singing, and tears, reinforcing the collective understanding of the importance of strengthening the shamans and the Tikmũ'ũn tradition. Testimonies from young people from Aldeia Verde, who work to keep spiritual practices alive amid the absence of older shamans, reaffirmed the new generation's commitment to continuing the traditions.
Photo: Rosângela de Tugny