Hushahu was the first woman to enter into a spiritual study in the story of her people and of other tribes in the region. She lived many strong experiences in the tribe from a young age and became determined to discover the world of the Pajé (Shamans) – to find healing and wisdom for herself and her people. Hushahu asked her father Tuîkuru to study and, after spending many years gaining their trust, her father and the late Pajé Tata accepted her onto the path to study. She spent one year and three months in Samakẽi – isolated in the forest with strict rules and without contact with anyone besides her teachers.

During this time she began to discover the world of the Pajés as a woman, expressing this through her art and her voice, bringing a female voice to the traditional songs. On her return she brought equality between men and women to her people. The Yawanawá women now sit alongside the men as equals in ceremony and in daily life. This transformation, along with the beauty of the songs and art she brought back, inspired many, both men and women to re-engage with their tradition. Following her time in Samakẽi, Hushahu continued to study with Tatá until his death, later repeating this period of study for another year.

Today Hushahu is one of the spiritual leaders of her village Mutum and is dedicated to keeping the tradition of her people alive. She has many students among the youth of the village as well as from the world outside where she travels and shares the teachings that were passed to her. The designs that she received in visions are used in the artworks of many different tribes in Brazil as well as her own. 

Her work has drawn international attention, being featured in the magazine of Brazilian airline GOL and being the subject of the VR movie Awavena which featured at Sundance Film Festival and World Economic Forum amongst other events aronund the world before winning an Emmy award in 2020. 

In 2021 she began to build Centro Awavãna next to her village as a project to preserve and give life to everything she strove for in her life. Today she lives at Centro Awavãna together with Adair where they continue to strive to make it an example of sustainable living within an indigenous community.  

Adair first travelled to the Brazilian Amazon in 2017 where his heart was touched for the first time by the indigenous culture there. The following year his meeting with Hushahu reinforced the importance of indigenous wisdom for himself and for our world. 

He has since worked and studied with Hushahu, dividing his time between the rainforest and the Western world. Striving to discover and understand the Yawanawa culture and to share this understanding with others. He acts as a bridge and translator between the indigenous world and our own as well as working to support families in the rainforest. 

Today Hushahu and Adair are happily married, working together and realising projects to improve quality of life, lessen dependence on the cities and preserve the Yawanawá culture. They created Kairao together to deepen this work and share it with the world.

The son of the great Yawanawá leader Tuīkuru and student of the late pajé Tatá, Matsini is joint leader of the village Mutum as well as a spiritual leader of his people. After Tatá passed away, the responsibility of the village’s spiritual healer fell to Matsini.

Besides his responsibilities to the families of Mutum, Matsini directs the Samakēi Centre in his village where he receives westerners who come to learn about Yawanawá culture and spirituality. Raised by Tuīkuru to be his successor, Matsini is an excellent teller of the traditional Yawanawá stories, through which he brings examples which guide his people and students. His form of showing a path through his words is what makes him both an excellent spiritual teacher and leader of his people. 

Matsini works following in his father’s footsteps to form healthy relationships with the outside world and develop a sustainable  living model for his village Mutum. 

Rasu is the joint leader of the village Mutum and grandson of the great medicine man Tatá Txanu Natashãini, who was one of the most respected elders and wise men of the Yawanawa people. When he was born, Rasu was chosen and raised by Tata to be his successor. 

A leadership amongst his people’s youth, Rasu encouraging the younger members of his tribe to engage in their cultural practices and work inside the village. Rasu is one of the only young Yawanawá who speak their language fluently and is a talented multi-instrumentalist musician. He works tirelessly to improve living conditions and support Matsini in leading the village, leading by his own example. 

The son of the great Yawanawá leader Tuīkuru and student of the late pajé Tatá, Matsini is joint leader of the village Mutum as well as a spiritual leader of his people. After Tatá passed away, the responsibility of the village’s spiritual healer fell to Matsini.

Besides his responsibilities to the families of Mutum, Matsini directs the Samakēi Centre in his village where he receives westerners who come to learn about Yawanawá culture and spirituality. Raised by Tuīkuru to be his successor, Matsini is an excellent teller of the traditional Yawanawá stories, through which he brings examples which guide his people and students. His form of showing a path through his words is what makes him both an excellent spiritual teacher and leader of his people. 

Matsini works following in his father’s footsteps to form healthy relationships with the outside world and develop a sustainable  living model for his village Mutum. 

Rasu is the joint leader of the village Mutum and grandson of the great medicine man Tatá Txanu Natashãini, who was one of the most respected elders and wise men of the Yawanawa people. When he was born, Rasu was chosen and raised by Tata to be his successor. 

A leadership amongst his people’s youth, Rasu encouraging the younger members of his tribe to engage in their cultural practices and work inside the village. Rasu is one of the only young Yawanawá who speak their language fluently and is a talented multi-instrumentalist musician. He works tirelessly to improve living conditions and support Matsini in leading the village, leading by his own example.