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| Town of Curva, With sacred Akamani peak of the Apolobamba Mountian Range in the back |
The Kallawaya (also known as
Callahuaya, Kolyawaya, Qolla Huayu) is a culture native from the towns of Curva, Chajaya,
Khanlaya, Huata Huata, Inka and Chari, in the surroundings of the town of
Charazani, in the Bautista Saavedra province of the La Paz Department, Bolivia. This natural setting is one of the most
spectacular, unexplored and unexploited natural regions that remain on the
planet. The Kallawayas are the guardians of a practically undisturbed
biological corridor that runs all the way from Titicaca lake, up the glaciated
peaks and lakes of the Apolobamba Mountains and down the steep ravines into the
most remote mountain and flood plain rainforests of the Madidi National Park.
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| Kallawaya shaman |
Immemorially, the Kallawaya culture
has centered itself in the study and practice of traditional, itinerant
medicine, and its healers travel through the Inca roads in search of medicinal
plants and taking their healing practices to those who need it in the farthest
reaches of the continent. They have been known to travel on foot as far as
southern Argentina and as far north as Colombia. It is known that the Inca
royalty had Kallawaya healers in Cuzco to attend their health issues, and they
became most famous when, in the 1900’s,
were taken to the Panama canal to help treat the Malaria pandemic for which
only they were able to treat and successfully heal using only plant remedies.
The UNESCO declared the Kallawaya culture as a masterpiece of Oral and
Intangible Patrimony of Humanity in 2003.
Theories about the origins of the
Kallawaya culture point out to similarities with the Mollo Empire that
originated on the steep valleys of the central Andes. Kallawayas speak Quechua,
but their cultural traits and practices are more of similarity to the nearby
Aymara. Spanish is their second language and some have Aymara as a third. Those
that are initiated into the healing and shamanic practices are taught the sacred
and secret Kalliwayai language that is only used in prayers and ceremonies. The
few linguists that have been able to study this language state that it has a
Quechua grammatical base, but that it integrates words of Pukina, a lost
language that is thought to have been spoken in Tiwanaku (the most remarkable
civilization that flourished in the central Andes according to official
anthropology from 1100 B.C. to 900 A.D).
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| Kallawaya Ritual offering |
Kallawaya medicine shares different
practices, viewpoints, beliefs and knowledge marked within a sanitary system
that includes plants, animals, minerals, amulets, based on ceremonies,
spiritual rituals, hand-applied therapies applied in singular fashion and/or a
combination of all of these to help the wellbeing of their patients. Their
diagnose methods are as varied as the types of therapies they apply, which can go from physical examination of the
patient, to magical and ritual divination techniques used to diagnose not only
the ailment, but its source. The Kallawayas drew attention to themselves due to
their extensive pharmacopeia, believed to be the most complete of all
indigenous nations. But Kallawaya healing goes far beyond from herbal remedies
and therapies used to treat the physical body. This is where the badly used
term “shaman” can be applied to these medicine men. Not only are they well-formed
doctors and physical therapists, but have an extensive use of shamanic ritual, psychological,
and ceremonial healing. Their role of healers and shamans is crowned by their
social function as “priests” of the Andean world. Different ceremonies that
have nothing to do with healing are carried out by the Kallawayas, like
weddings, baptisms and funerals.
A Kallawaya shaman can be hired to be
the spiritual spokesperson if you desire to communicate with the spiritual
realms of the Andean world. Their fluid use of their sacred Kalliwayai language
is used in constant prayer along with an elaborate symbolic ritual employment
of amulets as a dialog to speak to the sacred power places and spirits, calling
their attention to help a patient in need, or a young fellow looking for love. Those
skeptics that have studied this extensive shamanic ritual practice have come to
the conclusion that independently of the magical and spiritual effect these
rituals may have, if any, they have a profound psychological therapeutic use,
and this by itself is enough to make this practices effective and
recommendable.
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| Modern Kallawaya doing a coca leaf reading |
Modern day Kallawayas continue to
exist to this day without mayor changes in their ways and lifestyle from the
days of the Incas. Native to Bolivia, it is in this privileged country where
you may find a Kallawaya healer permanently stationed in every mayor city. La
Paz is a good example, where up to five Kallawayas have their private
consulting room to attend people indifferent of their origin. The price of a
consultation which can include divination with the use of coca leafs or cards
(depending on the day) will cost only around 3 American dollars, a price
accessible to even the poorest people. In case a herbal therapy or ritual is
needed, then the price will be set according to the amount of items used to
carry it out. In the most complex cases, it will be necessary to travel to the
Kallawaya’s village where he will have easier access to the items and energies
necessary to carry out the healing therapy or ceremony.
Although Kallawaya medicine men
normally attend mostly indigenous people who believe and respect all aspects of
the Kallawaya practice, these medicine men are open to heal and treat people
regardless of their origin or spiritual belief. The main reason why travelers
to Bolivia and foreigners don’t take advantage of this unique healing opportunity
is because they don’t know of its existence, and because of the language and
cultural barriers. Having spoken to a Kallawaya medicine man, we have agreed to
begin helping build the necessary bridge to be able to offer people from all
over the world the opportunity to heal all imaginable ailments with the
Kallawaya wisdom. In retribution, the Kallawayas can expand their client list
which each day becomes shorter, and thus their existence becomes endangered due
to the every expanding and self-imposing western medical practices and
pharmaceutical remedies. In addition, the
Kallawaya culture’s magical and medicinal practice is strengthened by taking
healing success stories to other countries and thus helping their heritage and
cultural recognition gain respect amongst different people and cultures. Native
Journey is the intercultural translator and national operator that is beginning
to build these cultural bridges, offering you the opportunity to travel to
Bolivia and experience and understand Kallawaya healing practices regardless of
you speaking Spanish or having previous knowledge of the Andean culture or any
type of shamanic exercise. If you’re interested in living this millenary,
authentically native healing experience today, visit Native Journey
Links to Kallawaya official Web Sites (only in spanish):
Other sites with information about Kallawayas:
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