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Piripiri: Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

This document discusses Shipibo patterns and icaros (incantations). It explains that Shipibo women are initiated into creating intricate textile designs through a process involving piripiri berries. The patterns are said to be directly related to music, spiritual states, and drugs. Shipibo artists can paint matching designs on opposite sides of a large pot while whistling the same song. The document also provides an example icaro in both Spanish and the original Shipibo language, describing a mystical steamboat arriving with healers and doctors.

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Сергей Коле
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595 views13 pages

Piripiri: Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

This document discusses Shipibo patterns and icaros (incantations). It explains that Shipibo women are initiated into creating intricate textile designs through a process involving piripiri berries. The patterns are said to be directly related to music, spiritual states, and drugs. Shipibo artists can paint matching designs on opposite sides of a large pot while whistling the same song. The document also provides an example icaro in both Spanish and the original Shipibo language, describing a mystical steamboat arriving with healers and doctors.

Uploaded by

Сергей Коле
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Piripiri

Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

The patterns are formed somewhere in the brain, but the precise nature expands into areas of neurology, chemistry or spirituality if you like.
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

These are the remains or‘the footprints’of the system of agents. This is like looking at fossils.
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

The interactions and the behaviour of these agents is influenced by music, spiritual state and drugs.
The Shipibo even say that there is a direct translation from music to pattern and also vice versa.

Initiated women

All the textile painting, embroidery, and artisan


craft is carried out by the women.
From a young age the Shipibo females
are initiated by their mothers and grandmothers
into this practice.

Teresa, a Shipiba who works with on Amazon


Retreats, tells that “when I was a young girl, my
mother squeezed drops of the piripiri (a species
of cyperus berries) into my eyes so that I would
have the vision for the designs”.
This is only done once and lasts a lifetime”.
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

Painting music

The Shipibo can ‘listen’ to a


song or chant by looking at the
designs – and inversely, paint a
pattern by listening to a song or
music.

The Shipiba paint, for example, a


large ceremonial ceramic pot
known as a mahuetá. The pot is
nearly five feet high and with a
diameter of about three feet.
Neither Shipibo tribe member can
see what the other is painting , yet
both whistle the same song.
When they finish both sides of
the complex geometric pattern,
they are identical and match each
side perfectly.
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

Icaro of the atun huaira ICARO OF THE ATUN HUAIRA


Shamuirimun paicayari yari yari The great steamboat of the wind is coming.
Mundotucunan mantashi yari From the end of the cosmos it comes,
Shamuirimun paicayari yari. It comes like this.
Chaipimaya shamuirimun All kinds of mystical healers are coming in it,
Tucuylaya doctorcita cunacaya Also fairies and doctors
Chaipimaya shamuiricom muisapana From strange space cities.
Ada huarmicitacuna cayayari. Strong healers are coming.
Mundo tucunan mantashi From the greatest worlds they are coming,
Tucuylaya doctorcita cunancaya all kinds of sumirunas,
Extranjero llactamanta shamuiriconmunsapaya from great round cities they are coming.
Sinchi,sinchi mediquita cayayari. They are strong spirits that heal wisely.
Chaimiyari tucumunsapana This kind of nurse,
Sinchi mediquitacuna cayayari Strong healer woman comes here,
Chaimiyari shamuiricon mantacuna In this way she is coming,
Chaican munsapana cayayari. This great teacher from her dwelling.
Comandante runacaya A great character,commander
Manuel Huaya ninangunacaya Manuel Huaya,like fire,
Vaporninchi puntnapishi shayaricon In the prow of the steamboat is coming,
Palacuipi shamuirimun paicayari. Talking to wise people.
Ada huarmicitas cunahuanshi Fairies,doctors,and others come,
Tucuylaya doctorcita cunacaya Doctors of sublime royalty, - Icaros of MARIA
Palacuipi shamuiricon paicunaca Talking with the chief they come,
To this place will arrive the sumiruna. - Icaros of DON JUAN
Piripiri
Complexity in Shipibo Patterns

Icaros

Derived most likely from the jungle Quichua verb ikaray, “to blow smoke” for healing the Spanish word
icaros designates the magical lyrics, incantations, either whistled or spoken, learnt by the shaman.

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