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At the initiative of our healer Edgardo Tuanama, in 2025 we launched a new project aimed at revitalizing and transmitting traditional knowledge about Amazonian medicinal plants and the preparation of natural remedies, directed at young people from the San José de Sisa area, in the San Martín region.

One of the roles of Takiwasi is to take on the commitment of being ChakaRuna (bridge-people), especially between the Indigenous world and the Western world. Takiwasi manages various projects with Amazonian native groups with the aim of recovering and strengthening their Amazonian roots, safeguarding their environment and culture, and reclaiming the ancestral knowledge of traditional Amazonian medicine.

Amazonian traditional medicine, based on the use of medicinal plants and ancestral practices, is at risk of disappearing due to the loss of knowledge among younger generations. In many Amazonian communities, access to conventional medicine is limited, making traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use vital for the health and well-being of the population. However, globalization, youth migration to urban areas, and the lack of training opportunities have caused this knowledge to gradually fade away.

Added to this is the fact that, in some Indigenous communities, there is a certain reluctance among young people to learn about the use of medicinal plants, due to fear of being attacked or stigmatized by other community members, whether out of envy or accusations of witchcraft. This situation results in few young people wishing to reconnect with their Indigenous roots and Amazonian medicine, making the intergenerational transmission of the valuable healing tradition through Amazonian plants more difficult.

The district of San José de Sisa, located in the Amazonian region of San Martín in Peru, is a territory rich in biodiversity and medicinal tradition. Nonetheless, the disinterest of younger generations and the lack of learning opportunities have led to the loss of many ancestral healing practices.

Edgardo’s initiative, supported during the ideation, design, and fundraising stages by Giorgia Tresca and Matteo Politi from Takiwasi’s research department, aims to rescue and strengthen these traditions through experiential learning for young natives of San José de Sisa, promoting knowledge transmission and cultural reinforcement.

At the beginning of July 2025, during an intensive week, four young participants immersed themselves in an experiential learning process at Takiwasi, guided by Edgardo and with the participation and contributions of various members of the therapeutic team, including Elbis García and Dr. Jacques Mabit, among others. For the participants, the process also included personal experiences with the plants through purges, plant baths, and ayahuasca.

Participants were able to learn basic techniques such as preparing ginger purges, plant baths, rubbings, and incense rituals; performing “sopladas” for prepubescent children; using medicinal plants in phytotherapy, such as cat’s claw, chanca piedra, copaiba, and dragon’s blood, among others; and preparing various natural remedies for parasites, gastritis, urinary infections, kidney stones, and more.

The experiential work with the plants and workshops also continued on selected weekends in September, November, and December, ensuring continuity in the learning process and the transmission of this valuable cultural heritage. In 2026, participants are expected to put what they have learned into practice and request Takiwasi’s support if they wish.

The results have been very positive for both the participants and the Takiwasi team. Participants have expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to open Takiwasi’s doors to train local young men who wish to recover, through their own efforts, the historical memory and roots of their ancestors while working with the proper use of medicinal plants. It has been a process of reconnection with their roots, their spirituality, and their own journey as men seeking healing through traditional Amazonian medicine.

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