Peru: The Ayahuasca ritual: the gateway to the world of plants and natural medicine
The ancestral Andean Amazonian wisdom is transmitted through songs, mythological stories, and the narratives of the wise men and women, whose message is the importance of generating, preserving and caring for life in its entirety. The Ayahuasca ritual in the Peruvian Amazon and the preparation process of the aspiring Amazonian shaman. The name ayahuasca is […]
Brazil: The struggle of the Piquià community against the mining giants
Carajàs is considered the largest open cast iron mine in the world, in the heart of the Brazilian eastern Amazon. After more than twenty years of battles, the first families of Piquiá de Baixo, a suburb of Açailandia, in the state of Maranhã will be able to settle in a new territory, safe from toxic […]
The Youth Corner: To make sense of the world
In our first years in life, we are led to question everything around us. Far from pretending to know and understand everything, we look to adults as life partners who can help us make sense of the world, guiding us to see what is right and protecting us from harm. During this period – which […]
The sacredness of Mount Kenya in Kikuyu tradition
Mount Kenya, at 5199 meters, is the second-highest peak in Africa (the highest is Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania). For the people living in the surrounding areas, Mount Kenya is sacred. This extinct volcano stands impressively almost on the line of the Equator (just to the south), about 190 km from Nairobi. Its diverse and unique ecosystems […]
Bolivia: Women Who Inspire, as they Breathe and Dream
In indigenous cultures, female intuitions and sensibilities linked to ancestors and to Mother Earth prove decisive for the journey of the community during the time of the pandemic. Among the Andean and Amazonian peoples, women have many faces and ways of being and living, that wonderful diversity that becomes unity in struggles and common actions […]
Ecuador: The Galapagos Islands, A Maritime Sanctuary
Designing the ‘Common House’. Overall pastoral care. The Synod: ‘Live the experience of the pilgrims of Emmaus’. We talk with Mons. Patrizio Bonilla, Bishop and Apostolic Vicar of the Galapagos. The archipelago of about 50 volcanic islands is located in the Pacific Ocean 1000 km from the west coast of South America. They are an […]
The Youth Corner: We Are the “Now” of God
Vocation is a gift from God that reveals our authenticity. In this path of self-discovery and discernment, listening, dialogue and accompaniment are fundamental elements. There is a common aspect to vocation. As Pope Francis says, it is “a gift from God.” Now, when we offer a gift to a true friend, we don’t give him […]
Oral Literature: Goat, Lion and Snake
Goat and Lion were walking together in the forest. “Friend Lion, where have you been?” asked Goat. “I have just come from a feast with Leopard and Antelope and Zebra and many other animals,” said Lion. “You have many fine friends – said Goat -. I am all alone and no one cares for me. […]
Herbs & Plants: Steganotaenia Araliacea – The Carrot Tree
It is a multipurpose medicinal plant and can be used, in particular, to treat pneumonia, asthma, arthritis, chronic ulcer, sore throat, and fever. An essential oil is obtained from the leaves which are used for various purposes. Steganotaenia araliacea (Family Apiaceae/Umbelliferae), commonly referred to as the carrot tree, is a small, aromatic, deciduous tree growing […]
Sudan: The vestiges of the Kingdom of Kush
The largest concentration of pyramids in the world was discovered not in Egypt, but rather in Sudan. They are vestiges of the ancient Kingdom of Kush, a black civilization of North Africa. At the sites of El Kurru, Nuri, Jebel Barkal and Méroé stand pyramids whose height varies from 6 to 30 meters. We are […]