15-DAY MATSES EXPEDITION

Territory of the mysterious tribe of the Feline, "The Matses” is considered one of the most remote areas of the Amazon rainforest. Little exploration has been done and is inaccessible for most tourists.

The Matses belong to the Pano linguistic family, like Matis ethnicities, and Korubos Marubos among others.

In the 1970's the Matses changed their mode of semi-nomadic life to live in permanent communities. The Matsés territory is located in the region bounded by the rivers of Yavari (Javari in Portuguese), and Galvez Chobayacu Peru's border with Brazil.

Currently their communities are located deep in the Amazon jungle of northeastern Peruvian border with Brazil. Still retain their primitive culture, are expert hunters and gatherers whose ability to survive depends on their physical skills and knowledge of the jungle. Your belief system is tied to nature, plants and animals have a very important relationship with their spiritual world.

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Matsés Indigenous Traditions IV. Copal Torches

Indigenous people of the Amazon extract the copal tree (Protium ferrugineum) resin through incisions for use in different applications. Matses / Mayoruna, stockpile this resin to make torches, with an elongated shape of 50 cm. Then they cover it with palm leafs and tied with barks. These torches are used by them to light up their homes at night.

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Matsés Indigenous Traditions III. Barbasco (Lonchocarpus sp.)

Also known as “cubé” is a plant part of the Fabaceae family that grows in the South American rainforest, used in the traditional fish by indigenous peoples of the Amazon.

Fishermen take the barbasco roots and smash them with a piece of wood. In a brook, they contain the water current in different points; then dip and shake the smashed roots in the water, releasing the venom and waiting until it works. Immediately, poisoned fish come to the surface, easy to take them with a net. Finally, fishers open the dams in the brook allowing the venom dissolves in the waters and loses its effect.

Barbasco root extract contains mainly rotenone and deguelin, as well as tephrosin and toxicarol.

Rotenone is mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to insects and aquatic life. Fish poisoned with rotenone can be eaten this venom is very poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract of humans.

Rotenone is used commercially as an insecticide, but use for fishing can be controversial, as it kills all species of fish.

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Matsés Indigenous Traditions II. The Frog Medicine (Kambo)

Frog medicine, known in Spanish as Medicina del Sapo, originally know as Kambo in old Matses language; sometimes referred as kambô and Vacina do sapo in Brazilian portuguese, this ancient ceremony is performed by native experts from the Mayoruna tribe (Matsés people), and other indigenous people of the Amazon.

In the Matsés, the ceremony starts by catching a giant leaf frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor) also called giant monkey frog in English, because it climbs into the rainforest canopy. The Mayoruna expert immobilizes it by tying its four extremities, extracts the poison from its back with a small wooden stick and places it on a piece of cane, then release the frog. He subsequently dries and stores the stick to be used for this practice.

Later, before applying it, the expert rehydrates the dried poison with water or saliva. The expert heats up a thin piece of vine (tamshi) and burns several points on the participant’s arm or chest, producing instant blisters on his/her skin. The amount of burn marks will depend on the tolerance of each person. The blisters will then be scratched open one by one and the poison extracted from the frog will be applied on the wounds.

This practice is usually performed on rainy days by the Mayorunas in order to get more energy, trust and improve their shooting skills for hunting purposes. Several days after having been stung, the Mayorunas will go hunting and try their best shot with bow.  

According to researchs, the substance segregated by the giant leaf frog contains deltorphin, acting as an emetic and dermorphin, acting as a powerful analgesic. This practice is actually used as a treatment in alternative medicine.

An expedition to the Matses territories takes at least 2 weeks.

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Matsés Indigenous Traditions I. Nënë or Nunu, The Tobacco Inhalation

The native experts of the Matses (Mayoruna) tribe process a refined green powder that they call nënë in their own language or sometimes referred as nunu in Spanish, using tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum) and the bark of a tree called cacahuilo (Theobroma subincanum).

This practice is usually performed by two people. An adult expert Mayoruna pours a dose of the preparation inside the end of a hollow cane. The other end is placed in the nostril of the person who is going to receive and inhale the tobacco. The expert powerfully blows the powder into the nostril of the person on the other end receiving the "nunu". The amount of inhalations in each nostril will depend on the tolerance of each consumer.

One of the keys to the success of the nunu ceremony lies in that the person blowing must be an expert adult, who, besides the tobacco, also sends his spirit and power to the person inhaling.

This practice is only used by men who want to gain courage, power and energy. However, they can also decide to do it as a celebration, to have visions or just to have a good night’s rest after a bad day. Since this tribe has an obvious relationship between hunting and shamanism they also use nunu to get a good shot with bow and improve their hunting proficiency.

An expedition to the Matses / Mayoruna territories takes at least 2 weeks.
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More information: info@amazonexplorer.com

ACTIVITIES
Jungle survival training course