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Meet Our Medicine Carriers
Our medicine carriers are respected elders and tradition keepers from various indigenous communities across South America. Each brings generations of ancestral wisdom, deep personal experience with plant medicines, and a profound commitment to sharing healing in a sacred, safe, and ethical way.
These wisdom carriers represent unbroken lineages of ceremonial practice, combining traditional knowledge with careful attention to safety and support. Through their guidance, participants can experience authentic indigenous ceremonies while honoring the cultural heritage these traditions emerge from.
Our medicine carriers are respected elders and tradition keepers from various indigenous communities across South America. Each brings generations of ancestral wisdom, deep personal experience with plant medicines, and a profound commitment to sharing healing in a sacred, safe, and ethical way.
These wisdom carriers represent unbroken lineages of ceremonial practice, combining traditional knowledge with careful attention to safety and support. Through their guidance, participants can experience authentic indigenous ceremonies while honoring the cultural heritage these traditions emerge from.
Taita Claudino Perez Torres
Muruy Uitoto (Colombia)
Claudino Pérez Torres (Taita Claudino) is a respected elder of the Muruy (Uitoto) people, born in 1961 in the indigenous community of San Rafael in the Amazonas Department of Colombia. As a cultural ambassador and medicine man, he carries deep knowledge of Amazonian traditional practices, specializing in the ceremonial use of Tobacco, Coca, and Yagé (Ayahuasca).
Beyond his role as a medicine carrier, Taita Claudino has served his community as a leader and advocate. He was president of OIMA (Indigenous Muruy Organization of Amazonas) and served on the Board of Directors of CorpoAmazonia, working to preserve and protect indigenous traditions. His academic background includes studies in Philosophy at both the Major Seminary of Bogota and the National University of Colombia, bridging traditional wisdom with contemporary understanding.
For many years, Taita Claudino has shared his healing practices throughout Colombia and internationally, including ceremonies in Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, Ireland, and Germany. His approach to medicine work is grounded in respect, love, and serenity, focusing on both individual and collective healing. Through his ceremonies, he helps people reconnect with their divine nature and embrace the gift of life.
Taita Claudino Perez Torres
Muruy Uitoto (Colombia)
Claudino Pérez Torres (Taita Claudino) is a respected elder of the Muruy (Uitoto) people, born in 1961 in the indigenous community of San Rafael in the Amazonas Department of Colombia. As a cultural ambassador and medicine man, he carries deep knowledge of Amazonian traditional practices, specializing in the ceremonial use of Tobacco, Coca, and Yagé (Ayahuasca).
Beyond his role as a medicine carrier, Taita Claudino has served his community as a leader and advocate. He was president of OIMA (Indigenous Muruy Organization of Amazonas) and served on the Board of Directors of CorpoAmazonia, working to preserve and protect indigenous traditions. His academic background includes studies in Philosophy at both the Major Seminary of Bogota and the National University of Colombia, bridging traditional wisdom with contemporary understanding.
For many years, Taita Claudino has shared his healing practices throughout Colombia and internationally, including ceremonies in Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, Ireland, and Germany. His approach to medicine work is grounded in respect, love, and serenity, focusing on both individual and collective healing. Through his ceremonies, he helps people reconnect with their divine nature and embrace the gift of life.
Luis Alberto Queta and Manesita Maria
Cofan (Colombia)
María Manesita Queta, a 77-year-old medicine carrier from the Cofan tribe, comes from one of the Amazon's most respected lineages of traditional healers. She is the sister of the late Taita Mayor Querubín Queta Alvarado, who lived to be 110 years old, and holds the distinction of being the first woman medicine carrier from her tribe. At ceremonies, she works alongside her son, Taita Luis Alberto Queta (known as "Tio Lucho"), continuing their family's sacred traditions.
The Quetas come from the Ukumari Kankhe reservation in the Colombian Amazon, where their tribe has preserved and passed down Yagé traditions for over 5,000 years. Their ceremonial work combines sacred healing chants, wairas (feather fans), and harmonicas to create deep energetic cleansing experiences. Taita Luis Alberto also incorporates traditional practices with hapé, sacred plants, and special healing resins used in smudging rituals.
Their ceremonies honor traditional Cofan practices, beginning with sacred silence and evolving into profound energy work through sound healing. Each ceremony concludes with a sharing circle, creating space for participants to process their experiences and receive guidance directly from these experienced medicine carriers.
Maestro Don Gaspar Rengifo
Shipibo (Peru)
Maestro Don Gaspar Rengifo is a seventh-generation Shipibo shaman who began his spiritual path at age 14 under his father's guidance. His journey with plant medicine was profoundly shaped by personal trials, including the loss of his parents to a cholera epidemic and his experiences during Peru's internal conflicts in the late 1980s. These challenges deepened his commitment to the healing path and led him to intensive study with sacred plants.
Following his military service, Gaspar dedicated himself fully to traditional plant medicine, completing rigorous dietas in the Amazon forest. His commitment to learning has led him to work with an extraordinary 233 different medicinal plants, developing a comprehensive understanding of their healing properties. His practice began in the jungles of Chanchamayo, where he performed spiritual surgeries, and expanded to urban centers like Pucallpa and Lima, helping people overcome various challenges including addiction.
Known as the Gatekeeper of the Ancient Medicine, Maestro Gaspar has shared the ancestral wisdom of the Shipibo tradition across the globe, working in numerous countries including Mexico, Thailand, Canada, and throughout South America. With over three decades of experience, he remains devoted to his father's mission: preserving and passing on sacred Indigenous knowledge while maintaining a humble student's heart. His work continues to inspire and train new generations of medicine carriers.
Maestro Don Gaspar Rengifo
Shipibo (Peru)
Maestro Don Gaspar Rengifo is a seventh-generation Shipibo shaman who began his spiritual path at age 14 under his father's guidance. His journey with plant medicine was profoundly shaped by personal trials, including the loss of his parents to a cholera epidemic and his experiences during Peru's internal conflicts in the late 1980s. These challenges deepened his commitment to the healing path and led him to intensive study with sacred plants.
Following his military service, Gaspar dedicated himself fully to traditional plant medicine, completing rigorous dietas in the Amazon forest. His commitment to learning has led him to work with an extraordinary 233 different medicinal plants, developing a comprehensive understanding of their healing properties. His practice began in the jungles of Chanchamayo, where he performed spiritual surgeries, and expanded to urban centers like Pucallpa and Lima, helping people overcome various challenges including addiction.
Known as the Gatekeeper of the Ancient Medicine, Maestro Gaspar has shared the ancestral wisdom of the Shipibo tradition across the globe, working in numerous countries including Mexico, Thailand, Canada, and throughout South America. With over three decades of experience, he remains devoted to his father's mission: preserving and passing on sacred Indigenous knowledge while maintaining a humble student's heart. His work continues to inspire and train new generations of medicine carriers.
Ronnä and Rennê
Yawanawa (Brazil)
Ronnä (Yawa) and Rennê (Timá) Yawanawa are respected Txanas (ceremonial musicians) carrying forward the sacred traditions of the Yawanawa people. As sons of Chief Roque Yawanawa and Antônia Calazam, and grandsons of the revered Paje Yawa, they represent a new generation of indigenous medicine carriers from their village of Yawarani in the Brazilian Amazon.
For the past 15 years, the brothers have dedicated themselves to deepening their understanding of forest medicine and Yawanawa spirituality. Their preparation has included intensive Samakei, traditional spiritual diets undertaken in complete isolation, where they've cultivated intimate relationships with the sacred medicines of their ancestral lands.
In ceremony, Ronnä and Rennê are joined by other members of the Yawarani Village, including Ronnä's wife Tivani, Greg, and Kimmi. Together, they share their cultural wisdom and healing practices both within Brazil and internationally, bringing the joy and strength of their forest traditions to those seeking healing. Their work represents a living bridge between ancient Yawanawa wisdom and contemporary healing needs.
Prince Haru and Hayra
Kuntanawa (Brazil)
Haru Kuntanawa (known as Prince) is a respected indigenous leader dedicated to preserving and revitalizing his people's cultural heritage along the rivers of Acre, Brazil. As president of ASACK, the social organization of the Kuntanawa people, he works tirelessly to protect traditional wisdom and sacred plant medicine practices. His vision led to the creation of the Pano Corridor Project, an initiative that brings together diverse tribes and nations to foster cross-cultural understanding and preservation of indigenous traditions.
Together with his wife Hayra, they serve as co-leaders of the Kuntanawa Nation, bringing complementary strengths to their community's leadership. While Haru focuses on cultural preservation and tribal unity, Hayra brings extensive expertise as both a traditional medicine woman and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Her unique blend of healing practices includes esoteric acupuncture, shamanic soul retrieval, and various holistic modalities, bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary healing approaches.
Their partnership exemplifies the balance between maintaining indigenous traditions and embracing complementary healing practices. Through their leadership, they continue to strengthen their community while sharing their knowledge and medicine with those seeking healing from around the world.
Prince Haru and Hayra
Kuntanawa (Brazil)
Haru Kuntanawa (known as Prince) is a respected indigenous leader dedicated to preserving and revitalizing his people's cultural heritage along the rivers of Acre, Brazil. As president of ASACK, the social organization of the Kuntanawa people, he works tirelessly to protect traditional wisdom and sacred plant medicine practices. His vision led to the creation of the Pano Corridor Project, an initiative that brings together diverse tribes and nations to foster cross-cultural understanding and preservation of indigenous traditions.
Together with his wife Hayra, they serve as co-leaders of the Kuntanawa Nation, bringing complementary strengths to their community's leadership. While Haru focuses on cultural preservation and tribal unity, Hayra brings extensive expertise as both a traditional medicine woman and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Her unique blend of healing practices includes esoteric acupuncture, shamanic soul retrieval, and various holistic modalities, bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary healing approaches.
Their partnership exemplifies the balance between maintaining indigenous traditions and embracing complementary healing practices. Through their leadership, they continue to strengthen their community while sharing their knowledge and medicine with those seeking healing from around the world.
What Sets Us Apart
Exclusive focus on ayahuasca ceremonies, offering deep expertise and refined experiences without diluting our practice with other plant medicines
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Direct collaboration with indigenous medicine carriers, ensuring authentic, respectful practices that honor the traditional roots of ayahuasca
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Comprehensive support before, during, and after retreats, maximizing the benefits of your experience and facilitating long-term integration
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Strict safety protocols that combine traditional wisdom with modern medical knowledge, prioritizing your physical and emotional well-being
✦
An inclusive community that fosters long-term support, personal growth, and ongoing spiritual exploration beyond the retreat experience
What Sets Us Apart
Exclusive focus on ayahuasca ceremonies, offering deep expertise and refined experiences without diluting our practice with other plant medicines
Direct collaboration with indigenous medicine carriers, ensuring authentic, respectful practices that honor the traditional roots of ayahuasca
Comprehensive support before, during, and after retreats, maximizing the benefits of your experience and facilitating long-term integration
Strict safety protocols that combine traditional wisdom with modern medical knowledge, prioritizing your physical and emotional well-being
An inclusive community that fosters long-term support, personal growth, and ongoing spiritual exploration beyond the retreat experience
TESTIMONIALS
Real Stories, Real Transformations
"Mother Aya taught me more about myself, empathy, compassion, and perspective in one weekend than I’d ever been able to figure out on my own. This will help me for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine the path I would have continued down without this."
Jim Hadnot - St. George, UT
"Hummingbird Church feels like what a church is supposed to be: a fellowship of individuals coming together to heal, love and encourage one another with egos in check. This was my first experience with Ayahuasca and I am so grateful."
Alyssa Vidal
Hummingbird Church is a collective of souls seeking to heal and connect with the planet and others. To go beyond ourselves and find deeper meaning in the joy, trauma, success, and failure we experience in life. I’m forever thankful for Hummingbird Church, its staff, healers, and community. I love you all.
Ishon Jones - Cherry Valley, CA
"What a magical healing experience 🥰🙏🏼. I recently attended the retreat weekend in Mount Shasta California. The location was beautiful and the staff was welcoming and wonderful."
Margarita Valdez
"At the end of the day positive or negative they’re all growing lessons. I have seen people physically and mentally heal from these ceremonies! It has changed my life and shifted my life’s purpose to self growth and helping others realize their own higher self."
Tony Dang
"Wow! What an experience! I accomplished much more in this weekend than I ever dreamed possible. This was such a welcoming place with a lot of different types of people."
Tyrone Peterson
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