Announcing a Huachuma Conference and Gathering of Traditional Healers

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Dear collaborators,

Huachuma Collective is continuing its mission to protect and connect the traditional medicine communities of the Andes.

This coming February 22-23, in collaboration with the Túcume Museum and the Kon Tuc Association of Master Healers, Huachuma Collective is presenting a two-day international conference exploring the San Pedro Cactus and Northern Curanderismo.

Many new developments are impacting Huachuma’s cultural universe, including the 2022 governmental designation of the “knowledge and traditional uses of the San Pedro Cactus” as Cultural Heritage of the Nation, and the ever-growing interest in visionary plants around the globe. Most curanderos (traditional healers) in North Peru have little information, input, or participation in these issues.

We envision this encounter as an interdisciplinary meeting of different groups and stakeholders placed on a level field to share ideas about the past, present, and future of Huachuma in Peru, guided by the practitioners who work with this plant. Confirmed speakers include Regulo Franco, Alfredo Narvaez, Marco Mosquera, Carlo Brescia, and Adine Gavazzi. A highlight of the weekend will be a round table discussion made up of practicing curanderos from throughout North Peru.

The program will include two new photographic exhibitions about curanderos and the Huachuma tradition, two documentary showings, and the Kon Tuc Maestro Curanderos’ annual program of dances, offerings, and ceremonies (February 21-24).

Conference attendance is free. The conference language will be Spanish. The two days of presentations will be live-streamed, and international listeners can use auto-generated closed captions in their language.

We hope you will consider joining us in person as one of Huachuma Collective’s valued collaborators! We are grateful for your support in helping us to realize the vision that we all share: a thriving natural and cultural landscape of Huachuma in Peru.

With gratitude,

Huachuma Collective

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P.S. Congratulations to Peter Kirchmer, who won the draw from our end-of-year campaign. An enormous thank-you to everyone who donated - together we raised $2,350 to continue our work planting Huachuma!