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Photos of Huni Kuin Tribe, Art, and Ceremonies

Huni Kuin leaders in traditional feather headdresses gather around a candle-lit altar during an Ayahuasca ceremony in Brazil.
Leaders of the Huni Kuin Tribe, wearing traditional feather headdresses, gather around a candle-lit altar at the beginning of a sacred Ayahuasca ceremony to inaugurate a retreat.
Two Huni Kuin women in Brazil wearing traditional feather headdresses and beadwork garments during a cultural ceremony.
Two Huni Kuin youth leaders, adorned in traditional feather headdresses and beadwork garments that reflect the vibrant expression of Huni Kuin art, prepare for a cultural ceremony.
A Huni Kuin medicine in Brazil harvesting chacruna (Psychotria viridis) leaves, an essential plant for preparing Ayahuasca.
A Huni Kuin medicine man harvests chacruna, the mother plant of Ayahuasca. The leaves of Psychotria viridis are essential for preparing the brew.
Huni Kuin community members harvest and prepare cannabis, used towards the end of Ayahuasca ceremonies.
Huni Kuin members harvesting and preparing cannabis, a plant traditionally used at the conclusion of Ayahuasca ceremonies.
Huni Kuin women in traditional beadwork create textiles by hand, weaving colorful clothing patterns.
Huni Kuin women weaving traditional textiles by hand, continuing ancestral craft practices used to create clothing and ceremonial garments.
Huni Kuin woman harvesting peppers in a sustainable jungle vegetable garden in the Amazon rainforest.
A Huni Kuin woman harvests peppers in a sustainable jungle vegetable garden, part of traditional Amazonian agroforestry that provides food, medicine, and self-sufficiency for the community.
Huni Kuin shaman administers sacred rapé using a tepi pipe to a participant during a traditional festival.
A Huni Kuin shaman administers the sacred medicine rapé through a tepi pipe to a festival participant, a practice that clears the mind, deepens focus, and prepares the body for ceremony.
Huni Kuin artist paints traditional designs on wood panels during the construction of a school for local children.
As part of building a new school for local children, a Huni Kuin artist decorates wooden panels with traditional designs, blending education and ancestral culture.

About the Huni Kuin Tribe: Hapé, Ayahuasca, Art, and Traditions

Who are the Huni Kuin and where do they live?

The Huni Kuin, also known as Kaxinawá, are an Indigenous people of the Amazon. They live primarily in the state of Acre in Brazil and the Ucayali region of eastern Peru, along forest rivers and in sustainable, community-based villages.

What is the population of the Huni Kuin tribe? 

As of 2020, the Huni Kuin (also known as Kaxinawá) population is estimated at approximately 14,148 individuals—with around 11,729 living in Brazil and 2,419 in Peru

What language do the Huni Kuin speak and what is its current status?

The Huni Kuin speak Hatxa Kuin, a Panoan language. It is actively spoken across generations and remains strong within their communities, especially in Brazil’s Acre region.

What are some of the Huni Kuin's traditional practices?

The Huni Kuin, also known as Kaxinawá, maintain a rich tradition of shamanic practices centered around sacred plant medicines such as ayahuasca (Nixi Pae) and rapé. These are used in ceremonies to connect with forest spirits, heal illness, and maintain balance in the community. Rituals are guided by chants called Huni Meka, which are believed to carry spiritual power and are sung during healing ceremonies and communal gatherings. The pajé, or shaman, plays a central role in facilitating these rituals and in preserving ancestral knowledge.


Traditional weaving and body painting also hold deep cultural significance. Women produce intricate kené designs on textiles and in beadwork, reflecting spiritual visions, stories, and the structure of the universe. These designs are not only decorative but carry symbolic and protective meanings. In recent years, the Huni Kuin have extended these expressions into visual arts through the MAHKU artist collective, which transforms their traditional chants and visions into contemporary artwork, helping to preserve and share their cultural heritage with the wider world.

How can one learn more about the Huni Kuin tribe?

How can one learn more about the Huni Kuin tribe? Detailed information on the Huni Kuin tribe can be found on the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) website here.