Artist: Gerardo Petsaín
Size: 35x25cm
Technique: Watercolor over paper
6 pieces
 
This is a six piece story of how the Ashánika people drink medicine and their sacred tradition with regards to the ajutap.
 
1. They arrive at the waterfall and begin building a shelter.
2. They prepare the medicine.
3. The dizziness begins.
4. Visions arrive with force, roars. They are powerful spirits that must be resisted. Spirit of the Jaguar.
5. Spirit of the Birds of Power.
6. Return enlightened!
 
In the Asháninka tradition, ajutap (sometimes also spelled ajutáp or ajutapori) are protective spirits or invisible forces that accompany people, animals, or natural elements. They can be understood as guardian energies or spiritual doubles, linked to the vital essence (seri) of each being.
 
According to this view, each person has their own personal ajutap, which watches over their physical and spiritual well-being, protecting them from illness, witchcraft, or disharmony. Curanderos (heripiari) can communicate with these ajutap during ceremonies, especially under the influence of master plants such as ayahuasca, to restore balance or recover the spirit of someone who is ill.