168 Iskukua Biraci Yawanawa: Spiritual Connection, Intuition, Dreams, and Ayahuasca

[00:00:00] CK: welcome to Noble Warrior. This is where I interview thought leaders on their journey to master their mind and live a life of joy, prosperity, and purpose. Each episode, we deliver valuable insights and practical tools to help you neutralize your inner critic, activate your higher self, let go of bad habits, and cultivate empowering disciplines.

My next guest is the youngest chief of the New Hope Village. The Yawanawa has been the legal guardians of almost half a million acres of Brazilian Amazon. Today there are over 1000 YA Nawas living in nine tribal villages amongst the Gregorio River. He's not only a highly skilled singer, a musician, but also a renowned healer.

Through his powerful healing ceremony, he has touched the lives of over 30,000 individuals. If you wanna follow him on Instagram, go to instagram.com/i s K U K [00:01:00] U A. Welcome to Noble Warrior

[00:01:04] Rafa/Isku's translator: Thank you, my brother. I'm really grateful for your invitation to be here and for the introduction that you just did about me.

[00:01:26] CK: You're very welcome. One of other thing that's really special about you, I look up to you as a teacher to me, who you are to me as someone who's multi-dimensional. You know how to hold space, you know how to deliver really high context, but you are also a amazing storyteller and a comedian. The combination of all of 'em just really impressed me, so [00:02:00]

[00:02:41] Rafa/Isku's translator: I just wanna express thank you again, and it's a privilege for me to be here and I do really honor your work and everything that you have to share with humanity, and I feel really, uh, happy to be here and to share a little bit of my own tradition.

[00:02:59] CK: [00:03:00] Beautiful. So I wanna ask you a first question. What is, and you can start however you want to start.

Um, what is your relationship with Spirit?

[00:03:10] Rafa/Isku's translator: First of all, uh, my first relation with Spirit is the fact that I'm alive. Any sort of being, any plant or animal or human being alive in this earth is connected and has a relationship to spirit.[00:04:00]

Because first people have a wrong idea of what spirit is. A lot of people, they imagine or they think when they hear the word spirit about this ghost that comes out of the body when someone dies and they can see this ghost walking through somewhere, but this is not the right idea about it. We feed

[00:04:34] Iskukua: it to.[00:05:00]

[00:05:03] Rafa/Isku's translator: Spirit actually means energy. It's the energy we think everyone and everything that is alive. It's the air when you breathe that comes out of you when the plants are breathing, when the animals are breathing. So it's the energy that keeps you connected to earth.

And we are the kind of people that we are connected to spirit, to this energy, connected to the spirit of the, the energy of the plants, the animals, the skies, and how the energy around in the on earth.[00:06:00]

So our, our connection has been connected, everything creation, and we still speak the same language of those energies. So that's why we are still very connected to them.

[00:06:52] Iskukua: Yeah,[00:07:00]

[00:07:08] Rafa/Isku's translator: so some people might ask, what about when the living being dies? What about their, their energy? What happens to it? Uh, and that's why some people, they would say, oh, maybe I'm gonna see a, a so or a ghost. But in reality, these energies, they stay around us. But, uh, it's not like you can see them, it's just the energy that it keeps within everything around it.

It's necessary to keep connected and to, to keep speaking to these energies when they, they get away from those material physical bodies. And this is a [00:08:00] knowledge of our people, which is to talk and speak to these energies.

[00:08:05] CK: So, question here, what is the role of Ayahuasca playing with our connection to Great Spirit Award Greater

[00:08:13] Rafa/Isku's translator: spirits.

Ink is a word from another indigenous people, that they also have the practice within this plant

and inside the meaning of this world that is well known around the world. [00:09:00] It brings the meaning that the, the, the connection with

we from the people we call this

We use this plant to connect with our masters, with our teachers, that they might be in the physical body, but they're also in energy in spirit.[00:10:00]

It's through this plant that we have access to keep learning from our ancestors that they, they've already passed away many years ago because this plant expand the channels of connect connection with those energies.

So it's the one of the most important plants towards the connection with our ancestors.

[00:10:47] CK: So, technical question here. So it's not the ayahuasca itself communicating to you or to your people or to us who, who drinks the medicine. The plant itself is an amplifier to [00:11:00] deepen, to strengthen our connection to great spirit.

Did I understand

[00:11:04] Rafa/Isku's translator: you correctly?

Yeah, it's in that sense, in that idea, the plant amplifies your, uh, your, the way you can receive the spiritual world.

[00:11:41] CK: I see. Thank you. And so in terms of day-to-day, what do you do to strengthen that connection beyond giving thanks, beyond having, you know, a conversation, a prayer to great spirit. Is there anything else that you do as a way to cultivate [00:12:00] the faith, the connection to Great

[00:12:01] Rafa/Isku's translator: spirit?

It's in the care. It's taking care of the space where we live. It's taking care of nature. It's taking care of the, the, the plants and the animals. And in that idea, you are also connecting and you are always connected into those [00:13:00] energies.

And the most important thing is also to take care of the body. It's the most important tempo, the most sacred tempo. And that's where the, the energy spirit is actually living in. So if you don't take care of the body, you actually don't have the capacity to expand and have those connections.

[00:13:44] CK: Hmm. So what are your practices to take care of the body?

Because, uh, you know, you don't have gyms, you don't have yoga studios over there. So I'm curious to know, how do you take care of the body to the best of your body?

[00:13:59] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:14:00] You are the one that thinks that we don't have yoga studios and the gym over there because everyone actually have it.

Because everything gets in your head and taking care of the thoughts. And that's the, the way you can connect the most with those energies. And when you take care of that, like you are able to do it. So,[00:15:00]

And if I'm connected to my spirit and to my essence, I can drop into meditation under the rain, or I can drop into meditation when I'm bathing on the river or walking through the forest. And we have different terms and terminology to explain and to bring those meanings, but it's our different traditional practices.[00:16:00]

So you have to use the tools you have to be connected to those energies. Some people might use yoga or other religions or different practices, but you have to use whatever you have, any tools you have to bring your you closer to those energies through this connection.

[00:16:37] CK: Got it. So I'm asking you, what are your personal practices as a way to take care of the body, get connected to spirit?

Is it meditation specific techniques specific as postures? What, uh, what are your personal practices?

[00:16:54] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:17:00] My personal practice is to do what I like and to do what makes me feel good.

So I use the tools that I have and that could be the, the rapid, the medicine of hae, which is the medicine made out of the tobacco. And when I'm worrying a lot about the village and the things that is happening in the family and I just take my [00:18:00] medicine and that helps me to calm my thoughts down.

So you could ask. So you always need to take some medicine to do that thing, to do that practice. And no, I can just as simple as take a walk through the forest and start, uh, paying attention to all the plants and all the living beans that we have on the walk. And that's gonna already start to, to bring my thoughts into a commerce state.[00:19:00]

So these are the practices and the tools that I have around the forest. And to be living in a traditional village like that and to be in the forest, uh, these are the ways that I have, but each person has to find their own ways, their own tools to do these practices within themselves. Mm-hmm.

[00:19:30] CK: Got it. So how do you balance.

The spiritual realm and your worldly responsibilities. Cuz effectively you are the CEO of your village, right? There's a lot of responsibility, operations, building infrastructures, taking care of your people and so forth. And, you know, how do you, how do you maintain that balance between, you know, the spiritual realm and the material realm?

[00:19:59] Rafa/Isku's translator:[00:20:00] This is something that I always say that it's not the most easy thing to do. We where you have to bring harmony between both worlds, the spiritual world and the material and physical world,[00:21:00]

for example.

And I have many responsibilities being the chief of the village. And, uh, I wake up early in the morning every day, and I bring the whole community together and I give them instructions. Uh, who is gonna go hunting? Who is gonna go fishing? Who is gonna take care of the plants and the plantation?

[00:22:00] I also work a lot and I'm also a hunter and some days I have to go out of, in the forest to go hunting and I might spend a whole day, uh, at work out there and then to bring some food to the village and when I get back home. I am tired. My physical body's tired, so I just need some rest and can rest.

And a lot of times it could happen that when I get the time to actually lay down the hammock, uh, a mother from the community could come to me with a child that it's ill with fever and they need my, my prayers and I drink uni, my medicine, and I [00:23:00] have to get up and be at work with them as well.

And even though I spend the whole day in the forest hunting and that will would be my time to rest, I have this, uh, this responsibility as the leader to take care of them. So I would just keep on going through all the, the whole night and praying and working on the person there,

the.[00:24:00]

So the biggest part of this balance between both worlds is to actually surrender and to give yourself all into those things. And if you had the agreement to be the leader and to take care of all these things, you have to own your own word and to take care of it.

[00:24:22] CK: So on that note, real quick, one of the thing I appreciate about you is you are always strong when we're in ceremony.

And I know that it's not easy cuz you, I see the, the amount of when you drink. So, so the rest of us are laid out and you are still strong. So I'm curious, how do you, um, really surrender to that responsibility? You know, even though there may be a voice in you that says, I don't want to, or I'm tired, or I'm lazy, or I deserve rest.

How do you continue to surrender and be [00:25:00] strong for your people?

[00:25:01] Rafa/Isku's translator: First of all [00:26:00] is many years of studies and keep studying around, uh, how can you keep, uh, the energy up and also not to get caught up in the necessities that you have in the body.

It's also the dedication and I, I made an agreement. I had, I made a note with the spiritual world and in my tradition, That I would do that work, especially when people needed my help. So [00:27:00]when they are in need and they really need me to do the work, that's what brings me the motivation to do so.

[00:27:07] CK: Mm, I see.

How often do you drink when you are in the

village?

[00:27:22] Rafa/Isku's translator: Many times, many times a day, or many times a week.

It all depends on the, the, the necessity of the village. And usually it would be two to three, uh, days of the week, [00:28:00] but if the necessity comes, we would drink many days in a row in order to take care of whatever is happening. Ah,

[00:28:08] CK: I see. Now I asked that question specifically because many of us fellow participants will really impressed just the strength and the power of your voice, of your presence, of your physical stamina.

Cuz again, for us is enough, you know, to drink maybe one, two cups, whatever. And then we were like laid out. Right. But for you, you were, you were so powerful after like nine hours of singing and chanting and then directing the, the flow of the, the experience. And to us we're just like, how does he do it? How does he find the strength and the power to be able to sustain that long period of time, you know?

And also from weeks at a time. Right. So if you can illuminate for us, how did you cultivate that?[00:29:00]

[00:29:00] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:30:00] So here you might have the cars and you might ha need gasoline for the car to drive or some electric cars. You have to plug it in so the car can drive. For me, uni is kind of the whatever I need to actually keep it up. The more I drink the medicine, the more energy I have to keep on going. Wow.

[00:30:34] CK: That's, uh, not the answer I was looking for, but that's, that's a beautiful answer.

I love that

because I, I'm thinking, alright, he must, you know, run a lot when he is in the village to condition his heart or he must meditate a lot so then he has his mind, or, I don't know what [00:31:00] I was thinking, but you know, uh, okay, great. is the source of all your power. That's beautiful.

[00:31:06] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:32:00] So this is based with what I was talking before. It's about how the, the dedication and the years of studies that I've had and the sacred diets of my people that I went through, it's not the idea that if you come to ceremony you should drink as many cups as you could. Uh, that way I'm gonna be connected and be strong like him.

That's not how it goes. Okay.

Because even if the person is full blood and if they don't have the experience and the instructions that I have and they drink a full cup [00:33:00] like I do in the beginning of ceremony, they're gonna spend the whole night on the floor crying and screaming.

And the reason I'm explaining all of this, because it's not trying to show off and I'm not trying to express this here so people can take as an example, is because that's the way that I have from all the studies and all the, the guidance that I received and this is the way that I work with the medicine.

But it's not something that I want, I'm telling people to do.

[00:33:57] CK: No, I understand. I'm, I'm curious, we're [00:34:00] curious cuz that's not the first time that we were puzzled, like where, where does it get all the stamina, all the power from, you know, after nine hours of singing and chanting. So, so thank you for clarifying that.

Maybe this is a good time to segue to perhaps the different preparations or the ditta that you talked about as a way to have better instruction to work with the medicine to attune our internal power and

stamina.

[00:34:27] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:35:00] Myth that I want to do here. And it, it's not just being an indigenous person or dressing up with the, the feathers around your head that, that would make you, uh, a spiritual leader.

Because in the village, our society is very similar to any other [00:36:00] society. We have the, the spiritual leaders, we have the leaders, and we have the hunters, and they have, we have the people that works with art and the people that cooks and it's, it's just another kind of society.

And

to become a spiritual leader, to study the spiritual world, there is many sacrifices that you have to go through, and there is many initiations that you have to go through as well to become one of them.[00:37:00]

And one of these initiations is the sacred plant that we eat the roots. And as soon as you touch that plant and you eat the roots, you have to be isolated in the forest for a whole year. Just you and your teacher

During this whole year, you cannot have, uh, red meat and you cannot eat anything to eat. And you, you have to go through celibacy. You cannot have snack, and you have to really do the thing

without water as

well.[00:38:00]

And some people might ask, uh, how can you survive such a thing? And that's the way, it's just with the sacred plans, with the sacred drinks, uh, taking enough to keep the body alive and strengthening the spirit.

And this, this first year we is studying with this planting the diet is just the opening of the door of this a, a lifelong journey with these studies.

[00:38:59] CK: Can you tell us [00:39:00] a little bit about, I know it's challenging, but can you tell us a little bit about what did you realize? Before the is in the . Right. And then also what happens during and what happens after.

Just so that people have a little bit of understanding of why go through this very rigorous, very discipline process.

[00:39:22] Rafa/Isku's translator:[00:40:00] Yes, it is the, the diet. And when I went for that, the diet is a very restrict diet. And I was a teenager, I was 21 years old when I went through that, and I did not have many expectations around it.[00:41:00]

After I went through this diet and I saw the power of the spirituality of my people, that's when my mind started to change and I started really that. Myself to it. And when you go through this diet, you don't walk alone anymore. You are always walking with your ancestors and all those energies and you, you will start having different perspectives, different thoughts, and you have many different ideas that comes within only you.

[00:41:56] CK: Can you give us an example of what, maybe a [00:42:00] perspective shift, you know, and also the, the experience of, um, of, of receiving, you know, ancestor powers or anything like that so that way people again, right, they can under have a better understanding of like, oh, that's what's available to go through this very rigorous process.

[00:42:19] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:43:00] It's kind of, it gives you, uh, a bigger, uh, size of vision. It gives you a different way of, uh, seeing things and. Before when he had to make choices about hi his life, uh, before taking this diet, he, he, he might have gone in a different path, but after going through this position, it's, he have the guidance of how the teachers and all the ancestors around him before him, and we think him.

So that way it's always taking him in, in [00:44:00] the way that he should follow his life.

[00:44:02] CK: Mm, got it. Yeah. One of the questions that, um, some of the participants want to ask is what gets him to take the brave steps forward, even if he doesn't feel like it? Right. So I think his answer actually gave an idea of how he was able to access not just power from within, but connection to ancestors and also.

To the divine outside of him too. Is that correct?

[00:44:31] Rafa/Isku's translator: Yes.

[00:45:00] [00:46:00] Yeah, the idea is, uh, exactly what you were saying and what I was expressing before, and we think that is when I have to make a decision. I have all these choices. The spirits, the guide, the guides, they show me how the path that I could take, and I am the one that take the decision, but they help me to see how these different ways that it could go through.

I

[00:46:54] CK: have a, I have a very nuanced question when I ask, so a lot of people here, You [00:47:00] know what I, when we talk about, on the podcast, they do a pros and cons list, right? Trying to try to, trying to decide what's the best, you know, is for you. Is it, you know, having a process like that or is it just more of a, hey, intuitive knowing I gotta download, I'm gonna go this way.

[00:47:19] Rafa/Isku's translator: The.[00:48:00]

It's really interesting that you are asking that because us, the, our people, we are, uh, the intuition people. We come from that and whenever we have to make a decision like that, we bring the intuition within us, the intuition that is coming from spirit, and that's what helps us to take our actions.

For example,

just an example to give [00:49:00] you, it's that, uh, just me, just myself. I am a, a chief. I am a father. I am a, a fisher. I am a hunter. So I do many things around, around the village.

Example.[00:50:00]

So that, uh, an example that I can give you is speaking as a hunter. And like I said before, I could go and spend a whole day in the forest hunting and, uh, I wake up early in the morning, I get ready and if, when I get into the forest, I, I just hit myself in, in a, in a plant or in whatever happens, uh, I would feel like that is not a day for me to go and I would cancel that day.

So that's based on intuition. It's based on something that is showing me that I'm not supposed to do that. So if in that sense, everything that they're gonna do in their day-to-day life, they're gonna be paying attention to those signs, to this, uh, intuitions that comes and that will tell him if he should keep going or if he should not do that.

Now I'm gonna ask

[00:50:54] CK: a question. It may sound strange, but I want to ask it anyway. How do you [00:51:00] cultivate your, your intuitive knowing? How do you strengthen that more? Because, because, uh, I am a, you know, uh, live in the western world and it's very much in the head. So part of my desire is to cultivate that intuitive knowing.

Right. So someone who has been practicing for a long time, how have you cultivated this, uh, intuitive knowing?

[00:51:26] Rafa/Isku's translator: [00:52:00] That could sound a little selfish, but, uh, we are the people that we were, we were born [00:53:00] with this little chip, little ship of intuition in our body. And it, like I said, it could sound a little selfish, but it's. We work with the dreams and it's through the dreams that we are receiving most of the, the intuition, most of the information we need to take decisions and to make our moves in our life.

And also it is strengthening our spirituality, our connection to the spiritual world. And that way we can have clear dreams and can receive a better connection to it. And the only way you could learn that way you would be for the UA language. Oh,

[00:53:41] CK: interesting. Okay. So you have a special relationship with dreams, cuz that's actually really interesting.

That's actually a really interesting point. So dreams mean something for your subconscious, your intuition, your higher self communicating to you. Is that, am I reading you

correctly

[00:54:00] to

[00:54:06] Rafa/Isku's translator: connect the.

So, yeah, it is through the dreams that we receive most of these teachings, most of this information. And when we start your diets, it's through the dreams that we are [00:55:00] doing this work. And that's where you are receiving most of the teachings. And it's reading the dreams that you can get out, the information that you need to keep on going.

And when we start with the diet, you receive information on your dreams from the plants, from the spirits, and from all the, the teachers and all the ancestors that, that they have.

I, I share very openly with about my diets and about the initiations and all the studies that we go through with my people. But, uh, a lot of people could ask also, if [00:56:00] I go there to the village, can I just do the diets and become a spiritual leader? It's not like that. If you know the language, if you know the Yaah language, you could learn something.

But if you don't, you, you are not gonna learn anything.

Mm. That's too bad. Well, this may be a good segue to your cultural center. I mean, there are a lot of people, a fan like me, right, who respect the wisdom and the teachings and, but we have no access to the wisdom because the YA hour language isn't widely taught on the internet or other places.

Can you say a little bit more about, you know, if people want to learn more, what are some of the methods where they can. Learn the language, learn the songs, and learn more of your culture.[00:57:00]

It's not everything that we want that we can find on the internet. And to, in that [00:58:00] sense to talk about, uh, a culture and a tradition of these thousands and thousands of years of these people around the world that we have 9 billion like human beings. They are the only ones that speak the language and that carries this wisdom.

There are many things in life that you have to experience for yourself, and you cannot just find it online or on the internet. So that kind of thing, you are never gonna find just online. You have to have a connection to the culture and a connection to something because this is very private. This is their own, their own language.

Their own thing.[00:59:00]

For example.

And when I speak about that is not even saying that this is only for us. It is just, just to give you an idea, is that, uh, our tradition, our culture have such profound wisdom, such profound knowledge that the western, western world is not ready to receive such an understanding.[01:00:00]

We take a lot of care with the things we share with people, and so we give them what they need and it's. A lot of people, they have respect for our culture and they wanna learn something. And it is open for people to learn a song or to learn about a plant or to have to receive some knowledge. But you have to be in connection with a teacher.

You have to be in connection with someone that is part of that culture in a way that when they, they feel that you are supposed to receive some of this information, it's gonna, you, you have to receive it the way it is, whatever it is that is coming to you.

Respect. Respect,

[01:00:54] CK: of course. With respect. Mm-hmm. So, [01:01:00] being with you, I was inspired to learn the YA songs. I was, um, inspired to learn the meaning of the songs, the meaning of some of the chants. Now, I know that obviously experiencing your transmission is the more direct learning for sure. So a gentle pushback, you know, because you want to preserve your culture is that there are a lot of people that want to do that and they can't all go to the jungle and sit there for a year, right?

So they may be baby steps that you can give. You know, the rest of the world, who's hungry for the wisdom and the culture and the teachings.

[01:01:43] Rafa/Isku's translator: [01:02:00] [01:03:00] In my humble opinion, I am one of the best teachers that there is around because I've been using some different tools that we have in the modern day, in the modern day that, uh, I've been trying to create some, uh, different mentorships in respect of the meaning of the songs and offering those things online that you can access with your phone and you can be part of it.

And, um, creating these little ways that you can be connected to these teachings that they offer.[01:04:00]

English.

So within the school and the projects that I have, I've been organizing to create this book with the songs, the songs that we have, where the book is gonna have the song in the language and the story of the song, and then everything translated in into English. So it's gonna be Ya, Portuguese, and English.

And in with that idea is because he's already thinking of how the brothers around the world that they, they've been e eager to learn about all those things and he wants to create two books and uh, each book [01:05:00] is gonna have 30 songs in them and he's just looking for more supporters for people to support his project so he can keep on going with that.

Yeah. So you think that if I was not thinking of the, of my brothers around the world, do you think I would do the English part in the book?

[01:05:33] CK: No, I mean, this is great news. Uh, let us know what the pre-order link is. Um, I'm happy to. Promoted to all the people you know who want to learn more from the culture.

[01:05:45] Rafa/Isku's translator: [01:06:00] He is saying again that he's looking for people that's gonna support his project and the idea is already made, but he's just finding the ways to make it a reality so he can get it done and he can share it with everyone. Beautiful.

[01:06:42] CK: Well, um, I don't know if his, his brother, but Shane who UA has a, uh, YouTube channel.

I'm curious to know.

[01:06:54] Rafa/Isku's translator: Yeah, it's his brother.

[01:06:56] CK: Okay, great. So it's, his brother has a YouTube channel. Um, [01:07:00] I think from an outsider point of view, he's done a lot to, um, share the Yaa culture by the YouTube channel. I'm curious how the, how do the elders and then you as the chief think about, you know, your brother, you know, sharing the yaa culture that way.

[01:07:19] Rafa/Isku's translator: Everything that I do [01:08:00] in the circles here in United States, in Europe, or under the water, or in the skies or in the moon, I also do in the village, uh, within all my elders and with everyone there as well.

And if I do that is because I'm really confident about everything that I'm sharing the information. And when I say that is because I, I can do that in front of my family. Cause I know that they, they know who I am as well.[01:09:00]

And that could happen with many of the UA people that when they get out of the village and they go other places, they present themselves as they can do this or they can do that. But when they are back in the village, they actually don't do the same things to their own relatives.

So this is a subject that could be very complex [01:10:00] because I've already spoken to my brother and there are some of the, the songs that they have during the YouTube channel in the, the YouTube channel that they are not right. So if I was to do something like that and do it wrong, I would rather not do it.[01:11:00]

In the beginning it was presented as, uh, the AANA only had nine villages, but we actually have 14 villages in total. And, uh, each village has its autonomy within themselves. So that happens with the chief of the village, and they are the ones that takes care of it. So when it's related to the people as a whole, that's when like our chiefs would gather together so they could get into a common sense and they would like get the idea out together.

But when it's happening between the, their own villages, that's through the village. Like they don't really go and they talk about it there.

[01:11:46] CK: So on that note over here, real quick, how do you govern your village? Is it democratic? Is it whatever school says goes? Is there a, is there a council of people helping to shape the [01:12:00] directions of the, you know, the major decisions?

How, how, how do you govern your decisions?

[01:12:07] Rafa/Isku's translator: Nowadays with the respect that I have within the people in my village, I, even with the, the, the older ones, I could take any sort of decision that they would respect my, my decision,[01:13:00]

and from the moment that I became a chief of my village and as a reference in my people, in my family members. Uh, I always tell the, the members of my village that I'm never gonna take a decision on my own. That we are all the, he's not the chief by himself. Every part of the, the village is, is also as a chief and the children, and the woman, the teenagers, the man, everyone is part of it[01:14:00]

for.

And, uh, within that sense, like anytime that we have a decision to make, uh, I bring the whole community together and I, I tell them the necessities and what we need. Then we have a talk around that, and there was, uh, sometimes that it happened that I could have a different vision and I, I thought that if we took that path, we, it could bring something better for us.

And the whole community, they wanted to do everything in there in a different way. So I heard them and we actually [01:15:00] did things that way and we were out together in that.

So,

so all the decisions are, are taken within the whole community.

[01:15:14] CK: I see. What about conflicts? When conflicts happen, how do you resolve conflicts, drink once together, together. Like how do you resolve conflicts when.

[01:15:24] Rafa/Isku's translator: [01:16:00] So my grandfather would always teach me that when you become the chief, you become the, the father, the mother, the judge, the uh, the doctor. You become everything for those people.

So you have to amplify your vision and you have to see with the whole, with everything that could happen.

So whenever we have conflicts rising in the community, which is not a very common thing within the lifestyle that they live there, uh, he have to actually help, he have to [01:17:00] interfere in it.

First of all, because everyone that lives within the community, they have to follow rules and they have to be satisfied by the way that they live in there.

For example, when I became the chief of our community, there was a person that he did not agree with me being a leader, and he left

but even though that person was living because [01:18:00] of that, I had other 26 people coming because I was becoming the chief of the village.

So, as an example, uh, within the community, he said that each chief has its autonomy. So, uh, an example that he's giving is when a young couple, they get married, then the couple, they're having problems. The man is not treating the woman right? Or the woman is not treating the men, right? They would come to him and talk to him.[01:19:00]

So the, he needs to have knowledge about the traditional stories of the culture of the people. So he can give an example, he can guide them by example, telling them, uh, how they were supposed to live in Harmine that. Marriage. And when you, in, in their tradition, when you marry a woman or when the woman marry a man, you are not just marrying that person.

You are marrying the whole family, the brothers, the sisters, the mother, the father. So you are doing that within the whole family.[01:20:00]

You have to know what you are guiding people. You have to know what you are actually telling them to do. Uh, he's not gonna come to you and sayk uh, go hunting on that path, and you're gonna ask him, have you ever gone through that path? And he is like, no. And how, how are you gonna know that you are gonna get something if you are never gone for that?

So you, you have to guide him through something, you know?[01:21:00]

So before you ask him if he have the answer for everything that could happen, he already tells you that he does not have it.

So whenever they don't have the answer for the, the problems that is rising, they will do what you mentioned before. They would send in ceremony, drink, uh, medicine, uni, ayahuasca, and ask guidance for the teachers, for the, the, the, the ancestors because they already lived through many situations that you have not gone through.

So they could bring some clarity around that[01:22:00]

compliment.

[01:22:05] CK: What did he say?

[01:22:08] Rafa/Isku's translator: He, he just wants to compliment another thing before you say,

Because you, you, you said that he's kind of, uh, a comedian, that he always tell serious things in a very funny way.

And one time we had this person coming to the village and he wanted to drink ayahuasca for the first time. [01:23:00] And he asked about the plant and they told him that this is, uh, a plant that creates the path into your ancestors, and they can guide you through whatever you are going through

and all the answers you are seeking.

And he was very excited and he drank the medicine and he was singing and praying and dancing. But when the morning came, he was kind of sad and he was crying,

so I came to him to ask, uh, Hey, friend, you were so happy during the night. What's going on right now?[01:24:00]

Oh, it's because you lied to me. Uh, you taught me that ACA would show me all the answers that I was looking for, and I asked the medicine to show me the, the lottery numbers so I could wing, and she did not show

me that

So I told my this friend, I was like, man, like I was not lying to you. The medicine's gonna give you all the answers that you need and you are not needing the lottery numbers. And another thing is that my ancestors, that they worked with this plant, they did [01:25:00] not know the lottery.

So it's really simple.

[01:25:10] CK: Um, thank you f thank you for that. Well, I have a follow up question before I go into more Ayahuasca questions. Why do you think you were chosen to be the chief? Is it because you were the best pa you were best singer, your best, you know, the wisest person, the most educated person?

Do you know the reason why you were chosen inside of your other siblings?

[01:25:36] Rafa/Isku's translator:[01:26:00] Uh, the first thing that comes to my mind is actually because I would spend a lot of time with my father and my grandfather and my, my grandparents, and I was al always very curious. I was always asking questions and I would always run away from, uh, by myself, uh, on the forest and go hunting by myself and go fishing by myself and.[01:27:00]

I was always down to help people and I feel like they were watching that and they could sit that on me. So that's, that's why I think,

and our tradition, usually the, the leadership goes from the father to the, to the oldest son. And you have, you had mentioned already that I have an older brother and he was not the one chosen. Yeah.

What I got from what you just said, most people think leaders are on top. What I'm really getting from you is [01:28:00] servant leadership, which is the inverted pyramid. You are here to serve all of your people, your family.

What was the question itself like around like the serving the community?

[01:28:28] CK: There's no question. I'm just making a comment.

[01:28:30] Rafa/Isku's translator: He is explaining like that he, [01:29:00] he understood what you said that he usually like when they, they have a leader. The leader is on the top and everyone else is, uh, both him is under him. And in his case, he feels like he is on, on the bottom and everyone is, uh, uh, both him. And that's, that's a way that he's in, uh, in a leadership that he's always serving the, the community and the people.

[01:29:23] CK: Yeah. That's one of the reasons why I really appreciate about you. Um, you never teach about leadership, but you, when you acknowledge people, when you serve, that's what I get is servant leadership.

[01:29:41] Rafa/Isku's translator: [01:30:00] And that's how he showed respect is with actions if with

[01:30:08] CK: gestures. Yeah. I have some technical question

[01:30:13] Rafa/Isku's translator: Yeah, he wanna let you know that we only have 10 more minutes cause he have another meeting with, uh, the group and Totally. It's getting there.

[01:30:35] CK: I totally understand. Okay, great. Well, um, maybe this is a good place to start to wrap up. You know, what, what do you see as the good, okay, let me actually back up.

You serve a role of connecting the west and your culture and that's how do you, [01:31:00] uh, strike the line between taking modern technologies and modern culture and also preserving your tradition? And I'll, I'll give you a funny story because I was, uh, I met one of the YAMA women and she was asking me about bts, the Korean pop group.

And I don't know why, but I was surprised cuz my mind was like, wow, I didn't know they learned about b t s. That's great. So for you, who wants to protect your culture and at the same time adapting to new technologies? How do you find the line?

[01:31:37] Rafa/Isku's translator: Thank you.[01:32:00]

I, I became a bridge between the westerner world and my world, and I lived many years in the city, but I, I came back to the forest,[01:33:00]

so I decided to bring back to the forest only the good things that I learned over there. And I knew that there was a lot of other bad things that I did not want to bring back into the village.

And I also don't live in paradise. I also have my conflicts and my bad mo, my bad mo moments. So I only take the, the good teachings and all the good things in the forest, and I came to the city and vice versa as well.[01:34:00]

So I, I take a lot of care around what I, what I allow to be brought into the village. And just an example around that is that my village is the only one that does not allow television in the village.

It's the only village that is prohibited to bring alcohol, beverage,

are any other kind of, uh, products that is not part of our traditional plants. And our traditional, our story[01:35:00]

is a powerful tool of communication, but brings a lot of information that is not necessary.

So if I want my children to learn how to sing in my language, to talk in my language, why would I allow them to have a television and to be caught up in that?

Uh, if I want my children to learn the traditional chance and songs, why would allow them to listen to a Korean music that they don't even understand what it is?[01:36:00]

That means that I have, uh, Com. Com. Com. I don't know that word. Conflict. I have responsibility and compromise. Compromise.

[01:36:20] CK: Beautiful.

[01:36:21] Rafa/Isku's translator: So the compromise I have is within my story and within my tradition. So the priorities I have, it is with my stories.

[01:36:46] CK: Beautiful,

beautiful.

One last one. And like I said before, it's simple. It's simple. Is that what he said?[01:37:00]

[01:37:00] Rafa/Isku's translator: Yeah, it's simple. That's what he said. Okay, got it.

[01:37:03] CK: One last question is Kuk, before I acknowledge you, knowing what you know, what's one thing you would say to someone listening who is on their path of spiritual healing, spiritual journey?

What, and then who lives in the Western world? What's one thing you wanted to leave them with?

[01:37:23] Rafa/Isku's translator: [01:38:00] It's self-knowledge, it's self-understanding. Yeah. You cannot understand the world or understand everything that is happening around you if you do not understand you. So, to follow this path of trying to understand your essence, to understand your story, your roots, that's the, the, the best path you can take in order to understand your future or what, what you're gonna do.

Okay.

And our life is this forever searching for knowledge, for wisdom. And when you do understand who you are, things becomes a lot easier to walk through it.

[01:38:58] CK: Mm, beautiful. [01:39:00] Qua, I just wanna take a moment to really acknowledge you for being a beacon of wisdom and healing. You've hailed over 30,000 people, and that's just the beginning.

And thank you so much for your generosity, for your stories, and for your distinctions in this conversation. I really look to you for a lot of wisdom. So thank you for sharing your culture here on Noble Warrior with the rest of us. Thank you so much for being an excellent, uh, translator. Without you, this wouldn't have happened, so thank you as well.

[01:39:37] Rafa/Isku's translator: Thank you.[01:40:00]

[01:40:05] Iskukua: Thank you, my brother, for inviting me. Thank you, HAA, for you help. I promise next time I you do this, our English and for everyone to send more. Better.

[01:40:20] Rafa/Isku's translator: Yes.

[01:40:23] CK: Thank you.

[01:40:24] Rafa/Isku's translator: All right. Okay. Thank you so much.