Shipibo Style Retreat for the Black Community

Black to the Jungle is a sacred space for Black folks to heal, release, and realign. This retreat, held at the Jakon Rate Center in Pucallpa, Peru, invites you to step into the ancient medicine traditions of the Shipibo-Konibo people. Guided by the wisdom and loving presence of the Mahua grandmothers, this is your time to let go of what no longer serves you and reconnect with your roots.

Last year’s retreat was a powerful experience for our community—a time of deep healing, connection, and transformation. This year, we return to this space, created specifically for us, to continue the work of releasing years of trauma and rediscovering our wholeness. Through Ayahuasca ceremonies, Master Plant treatments, and the nurturing care of the Shipibo healers, you’ll be held in a safe and supportive container to journey inward.

This is more than a retreat; it’s an opportunity to come home to yourself, to heal in the company of community, and to honor the resilience of our ancestors. If you’re ready to lay down the weight you’ve been carrying and step into a new chapter of alignment and peace, we welcome you to join us.

More about Ayahuasca

Learn More

Our offering

This retreat is a payanti—a sacred time of deep cleansing and healing within the Shipibo tradition. During the ceremonies, the Mahua grandmothers offer personalized healing work, singing icaros (healing songs) directly to each participant to clear stagnant energies and restore balance. This intimate and transformative process is at the heart of the payanti, creating a space for profound release and renewal.

Our retreat is designed to be flexible, allowing participants to join for either the first or second week. Each week is limited to 8 participants, ensuring a deeply personal and supportive healing experience. Held at the Jakon Rate Center in Pucallpa, Peru, this retreat offers the opportunity to work closely with Shipibo plant medicine, Ayahuasca ceremonies, and traditional treatments in a safe and grounded environment.

Week 1: November 23rd–29th (8 spots)

Week 2: November 30th–December 6th (8 spots)

The payanti also includes additional opportunities to connect with the medicine and traditions, which are further outlined below.

One week Payanti: $1995

Accommodation in your own spacious jungle tambo
3 Traditional Shipibo-Konibo ceremonies with Yoxán Manuela and Yoxán Robi
Traditional Shipibo-Konibo Cultural Workshops in kené (ancient designs), embroidery, and ceramics
Preparation and Integration Support Sessions for ceremonies
Integrative Black Condor Circle throughout the retreat to support with integrating the work of the healers and plants.
Shipibo Flower Baths offered each week
Jungle-Style Plant medicine sauna bath ( For dieters)
Transportation to and from the center from anywhere in Pucallpa
All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) throughout the entire time
Post retreat integration group call via Zoom

Interested in Joining?

To join Black to the Jungle, start by submitting an application. Once reviewed, we'll invite you to an onboarding call. If you are cleared of any medical or psychological concerns, you will be asked to submit payment to officially secure your spot. Once all spaces are filled, we will open a waitlist.

To register, 1/3 of the total balance is required as a deposit.

Payment Options:

Pay in full: $1,995

3-payment plan:

1st payment (Due now to reserve your spot): $665
2nd payment (Due May 23rd – fully refundable until this date): $665
Final payment (Due August 29th – refundable only if we find a replacement): $665

You can apply now to secure your spot, or if you'd like more information, consider joining our

Info Call to learn more and ask any questions.

Apply Now

The Masters of Ceremony

Manuela Mahua

Manuela Mahua comes from a long-standing and well-respected family lineage of Shipibo-Konibo healers from the upper and lower Ucayali regions of the Peruvian Amazon. Born in 1947, she began apprenticing with her father at age 13 and now has 60+ years of experience working with her ancestral medicine.

Today she heals and teaches, both Shipibo-Konibo and foreigners alike. She has a vast knowledge and understanding of the natural pharmacy of her land and is very open to sharing it with those who are willing to make the commitment to carry on the tradition.

Manuela is an altruistic, generous, and positive force. She cares deeply for all of her students and provides individual attention and care that only a great-grandmother can give. She embodies her given Shipibo-Konibo name Jakon Rate and truly is a "Life-Giving Good Surprise" for all who meet and learn with her!

Robertina Mahua

Robertina Mahua is the eldest daughter of the late Pascual Mahua and is a Noyá Ráo maestra who has been working side-by-side with Manuela for the most part of the last 4 years. She’s 67 years old but did not begin her samá path until she was 52. After being around her father, uncles, and cousins and witnessing this path for decades, she was encouraged, taught, and supported by her own father. After two years of dedicated study with only Noyá Ráo, she began samá with Tobí Ráo and began developing her message and bone setting skills. She also has strong samá connections with Sémein (Bobinsana), Mókapari (Chiricsanango), Chullachaqui Caspi, and Marosa.

The Land

The Jakon Rate Center for Shipibo-Konibo Studies

Asociación Jakon Rate is a Shipibo-Konibo family-owned and run non-profit organization that aims to support and preserve the culture and ancestral wisdom of the Shipibo-Konibo in the Peruvian Amazon. They do this by creating natural, clean, and safe environments for traditional practices to be remembered, regenerated, relearned, and shared throughout the Shipibo-Konibo Nation and the global community.

Inspired and guided by the great grandmother Manuela Mahua Ahuanari and the essence of her true name, Jakon Rate—‘A Life-Giving Good Surprise’—Asociación Jakon Rate is dedicated to helping current and new generations learn and practice the Shipibo-Konibo culture with educational workshops, courses, and traditional samá to deeply reconnect with the plants and animals from the forests and rivers of the Shipibo-Konibo homelands—through life-giving good shocks to the system—to help us reconnect to our source energy.

Jakon Rate and our family live on 26.5 hectares (65 acres) of land 8 km from the cities of Yarina and Pucallpa. It is a raised peninsula of forest and farmland, which extends into the natural floodplain between the oxbow lakes of Cashibococha and Yarinacocha. Our family lives at the entrance along the northeast side. House by house and garden by garden we are building community and home.

There is a deep well (112.5m / 369ft) and a large water tower with a 10m / 33ft observation deck. The well provides delicious potable water for drinking and washing. Currently there are 11 small private houses that serve as each student’s sámati xóbo. They are all located further back on the land, isolated from each other and our family homes.

Shipibo Style Retreat for the Black Community