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Underneath the protective canopy of the Peruvian
rainforest, a small band of daring voyagers is
experiencing an authentic Shamanic journey
into the unknown.
Strange
incantations permeate the fresh night air rich with floral smells. Local
tribal shamans attempt to contact the spirits of the sacred Renaco tree.
The anticipation among the group intensifies as the ceremony begins.
Against a backdrop of jungle sights, sounds and smells, powerful spirits
make their presence known by penetrating the darkness with their
illuminating light. A deepening excitement envelopes the group as they
dare to believe what their eyes have just
seen.
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| A riverboat carries
travelers through the Peruvian Amazon. |
A
riverboat carrying a group of voyagers sets out on a midnight journey
from Iquitos, Peru. Aboard are 14 strangers embarking on a
once-in-a-lifetime odyssey. Although from widely different economic
and social backgrounds, the voyagers have one thing in common: They are
here to experience the magic and mystery -- the
spirit -- of the Peruvian Amazon. Some of
them have come for adventure, some for spiritual healing,
some to experience the wonders of the rainforest, others to
explore its medicinal secrets.
Others seek
native culture. But however different their reasons for coming may be,
one question is on everyone’s mind: Will they come face-to-face with
the fabled spirits of the rainforest?
The
voyagers are an eclectic mix – mostly American with a smattering of
Europeans. Among those who will form the shipboard community during the
two-week expedition are: a suburban couple hoping to rejuvenate their
lost relationship; an anthropologist whose book about the Amazonian
Shamans has been hailed as a world-changing text; an ethno botanist
exploring the curative powers of rainforest plants; a socialite seeking
an offbeat thrill; a Hollywood couple looking to discover new meaning in
their lives; an environmentally conscious former hippie couple; an MD
specializing in alternative medicine; and four college students looking
for offbeat adventure. Accompanying our voyagers are four traveling
shamans and a Peruvian crew.
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At sunset
the voyagers come upon an isolated village. |
As the
picturesque riverboat negotiates its way over more than 600 miles,
visiting isolated villages off hidden tributaries, our cameras will
capture the intimate interactions among the voyagers. Within
the confines of the riverboat and jungle, far away from civilization as
we know it, senses are heightened in the lush rainforest environment.
As
we document our voyagers’ two-week journey, we will also be on our own
quest: Are the spirits real or imagined? Our investigation starts as we
study the strange glows and light flashes in photographs of jungle
shamanic ceremonies. The lights are said to be manifestations of energy
waves emitted by all living things. More than that, we learn that these
lights could be a key to the mystery of evolution and the nature of
spirituality.
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Interaction with local
critters is sometimes part of the cruise. |
Guiding
this voyage of discovery are a couple who have led
riverboat
journeys into the Peruvian Amazon for more than 20 years.
Their knowledge of the area,
an ability to speak various dialects of jungle
Spanish, and their handpicked crew of Amazonian Shamans and Peruvians
ensure the voyagers’ access to remote areas
where few non-native people have ever ventured.
It
is a challenging and exciting environment. Aboard the riverboat,
it is more comfortable. Meals are
served buffet-style in the mahogany-lined dining area. Three times a
day, the dining tables are laden with all-natural gourmet meals
featuring fresh fish, bountiful fruits, wild mushrooms, exotic game and
salads.
Occasionally, a local delicacy such as a whole roasted monkey
will be set out. An open bar with Peruvian beer, wine, coffee and tea
are also available, as are more than fifty “jungle juices” created
by our veteran guide, according to ancient shamanic formulas. Among these tonics are
those reputed to cure cancer, impotence, arthritis, leukemia, diabetes,
tumor, burns, insect bites, gangrene, among other things.
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Shamans
prepare the night's ayahuasca and chacapa tobacco. |
The climactic payoff of IN SEARCH OF THE SHAMAN begins with an all-night
healing ceremony conducted by the shamans in a jungle location that has
been carefully selected, prepared and blessed. Voyagers will be offered
the sacred drink ayahuasca, a stomach-turning, vision-inducing
concoction made from two jungle plants. Traditionally, Shamans use this
powerful potion as a way to perceive the hidden spirits among us in
order to diagnose and treat illnesses. But ayahuasca is also used as a
way to cleanse and transform the mind and body in preparation for a
vision quest with the spirit world.
As the ceremony begins, the
Shamans light bundles of dried chacapa leaves,
blowing the smoke to offer protection, the hallucinogenic
concoction will take hold among a cacophony of jungle sounds mixed with
shamanic chanting.
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| The sacred ceremony
takes place in the Amazonian night. |
This is the moment they have been
waiting for, this is the reason they have traveled so far: To come
face-to-face with the shaman and spirits of the rainforest.
To find
meaning to their existence; a connection to something greater than
themselves. Tto experience what few others have experienced.
To find out
if it’s real.
As
our voyagers start to feel the effects of their ayhuascan trip, we will
be searching for evidence of the spirits captured in the earlier
photographs through a variety of means, including digital and infrared
video and still photographs.
IN
SEARCH OF THE SHAMAN will appeal to a diverse and mass audience. It is a
reality-based program where the payoff is not monetary, but rather in
the form of a once-in-a-lifetime experience and adventure – and
perhaps profound transformation.
The Shamanic search is
appealing on many levels:
● A lesson in the
rainforest's importance and the threat of rainforest dieback.
● An
exploration of shamanic insights and customs.
● An armchair adventure through the
rainforest, with
its unique, colorful habitat.
● The healing properties and medicinal value of rainforest plants.
● The possibility of contact with
the spirit world .
●
Cross-cultural encounters among the voyagers,
boat crew
and local tribes.
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Ceremonial
markings are painted on the travelers' face. |
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