ETHNOGRAPHER | INDIGENOUS RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR | EXPLORER
Expedition Amazon
This expedition is not about taking photographs from a distance, it's about building relationships with people that live a very different life from our own.
Participate in ancestral shamanic rituals facilitated by the village shaman and be taken on a journey of healing, recovery and re-connection.
🗓️ 30 July - 6 August (8D/7N)
This 8-day ethnographic expedition will intimately take you through the worldviews of the Noke Kuin people of the Brazilian Amazon, where you will have the opportunity to witness, document and partake in sacred rituals rarely seen by outsiders.
The Noke Kuin people have decided to open their doors to those who want to sit down, learn, and heal. This is a rare opportunity to embark on a journey of healing and self-discovery through their ancestral repertoire of medicines (guided by the Shaman).
More than a "healing retreat", you will also learn how to document and interpret cultural practices, traditions, and daily life, using ethnographic research methods that respect and honour indigenous ways of seeing and experiencing the world.
Recharge yourself with Amazonian healing medicines and learn how to apply your new ethnographic knowledge in your life, work and travels!
OPEN TO ALL: The expedition is open to everyone over +18 with no age limit.
No background in anthropology required.
Register your interest on the form below
Package includes:
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Village donation to support food-security;
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All Indigenous Medicines;
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Fieldwork training, workshops, and guidance from anthropology expert;
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Village stay & freshly cooked meals;
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Permission Certificate for restricted area.
Exclusions:
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Domestic/International flights;
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Visa fees;
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Purchase of Handicrafts;
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Travel & Medical insurance.
Shamanic Healing Rituals
Participate in ancestral healing rituals facilitated by the village shaman. Through their indigenous medicines and shamanic practices, you will be taken on a journey of healing, recovery and re-connection.
Establishing Rapport
Learn how to meaningfully connect with indigenous communities, understand their values, and build trust that allows for meaningful engagement.
Fieldwork Ethics
Learn the ethics that guide anthropologists and researchers when working with indigenous communities, ensuring that your engagement respects their identity, traditions, and voices.
Storytelling & Dissemination
Explore the responsible and ethical ways to share the stories and knowledge gathered during your journey. Learn how to create a platform for indigenous voices to be heard!
Itinerary
00
Pre-Fieldwork Training
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Session 1: Expedition Briefing
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Session 2: Amazonian Cosmologies
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Session 3: Workshop on Ethnographic Fieldwork & Research Ethics
01
Arrival in the Amazon
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Morning: Community reception;
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Morning: Sananga & Rapé purification rituals;
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Afternoon: Shower in the river;
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Afternoon: Acclimatisation;
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Evening: Rest.
02
Initiation Into the Community
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Morning: Opening of the retreat with the jenipapo body painting for protection;
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Morning: Traditional singing circle with the entire Noke Kuin community;
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Afternoon: Medicinal herb bath in the forest with the village shaman;
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Afternoon: Ethnographic Methods I
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Evening: Ayahuasca ceremony.
03
Participate in the Village Life
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Morning: Breakfast and rest until noon;
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Morning Ethnographic Methods II
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Afternoon: enjoy your free time participating in the life of an Amazonian village;
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Evening: Storytelling circle with village shaman.
04
Fishing, Rainforest Walk, Medicinal Plants and Healing
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Morning: Fishing with the community using traditional methods;
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Afternoon: Rapé Medicine Circle;
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Afternoon: Rainforest walk to learn about medicinal plants with the village shaman;
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Evening: Ayahuasca Ceremony with 1on1 healing with the shaman.
05
Cleansing, Shamanic Oracles and Storytelling
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Morning: Breakfast and rest;
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Afternoon: Mud bath and medicinal herb smudging;
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Afternoon: Personal oracle and guidance with the village shaman;
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Evening: Storytelling about the past, present and future of the Noke Kuin people;
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Evening: Open Q&A to the community.
06
Rebirth, Hunting and Village Feast
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Morning: Kambô medicine;
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Morning / Afternoon: Hunting Expedition;
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Evening: enjoy food celebrations with the community.
07
Witness, Document, and Participate in Ancestral Rites
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Morning: Body painting, music and dance circle with the community;
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Afternoon: Sananga and rapé circle;
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Afternoon: Participate in Amazonian ancestral games;
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Closing ceremony with Ayahuasca.
08
Community Farwell
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Rest;
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Expedition debrief;
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Community farewell.
The ethos of this expedition is one of reciprocity — a two-way exchange of knowledge, respect, and understanding.
Expedition Leaders
This expedition is guided through a close collaboration between an international ethnographer and respected members of the Noke Kuin community.
In 2019, the ethnographer conducted postgraduate fieldwork with the Noke Kuin, living in the very same village where this journey unfolds. This long-standing relationship offers a rare level of proximity and trust — creating the conditions for a form of cultural exchange that goes far beyond conventional access.
He is joined by a young Indigenous leader, son of the village chief, who carries forward the knowledge, responsibility, and continuity of his people. Bridging generations, he offers an intimate perspective into contemporary Noke Kuin life, culture, and the evolving realities of the forest.
The expedition is also facilitated by the village shamans, whose presence anchors the journey in the deeper cosmology, healing traditions, and ancestral knowledge of the Noke Kuin.
Together, this unique leadership structure brings participants into a rare intersection of perspectives — lived, inherited, and relational. Rather than approaching the forest as a destination, the team guides participants into it as a living world — shaped by memory, spirit, and resistance.
This is not tourism. It is a carefully held encounter, rooted in trust, respect, and reciprocity.
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