H A healing journey with Benki Piyãko for the grand opening of Huya Aniwa Institute, Aniwa’s permanent home in La Noria, Mazatlán, Mexico.
SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 5TH
We are deeply honored to welcome the Ashaninka family Benki Piyãko and Rosely, his sons Raine and Yowenki, Benki’s sister Dora, accompanied by Mazim and Zico Kuntanawa. A powerful team of pajés (spiritual leaders) supporting this 10-day cleansing dieta and cultural immersion.
Huya Aniwa is a reforestation and healing center model inspired by the Aniwa founders’ long-term study with, and support of, the development of Yorenka Tasorentsi Institute, the regenerative center founded by one of the most respected leaders of the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon, Benki Piyãko Ashaninka.
Participants will stay on the magical land, in a newly built 12-bedroom eco home fully immersed in nature, surrounded by ancient sacred sites and far from urban development. This place is home to over 500 species of animals, including jaguars, ocelots, lynx, pumas, and extraordinary bird biodiversity.
❋ 7 Traditional Ceremonies ❋ Medicinal plant teas for cleansing and restoration❋ Integration circles❋ Tree planting❋ Music ❋ Storytelling❋ Q&A sessions1:1 private healing sessions will also be available to book.
Benki Piyãko
Benki Piyãko is a globally recognized political and spiritual leader of the Ashaninka People. Mentored from a young age by his grandfather Samuel Piyãko, a revered Antaviari, a healer and messenger of the Ashaninka, Benki absorbed the profound knowledge of his people’s traditions, spirituality and medicinal plants. He is dedicated to sharing this ancestral wisdom and healing ways with the world.
Benki Piyãko embarked on his journey of reforestation, community development and education at a young age within his Ashaninka community of Apiwtxa on the Amônia River in the Brazilian Amazon. Since the 1990s, Benki has collaborated with various institutions, non-profit organizations, global activists, and local indigenous and non-indigenous communities to restore degraded areas. Benki has planted 3 million trees, his work has inspired individuals and groups to strengthen their communities and build projects to protect water basins, rivers, lakes, forests, and the environment as a whole.
Benki was honoured by the Brazilian government for his dedication to human rights in 2004; the Human Rights Award in Weimer, Germany in 2013; the Culture for Peace Award by the Chirac Foundation, in partnership with the Culture and Diversity Foundation in France in 2020; and the 43rd Niwano Peace Prize in Japan in 2026.
Raine Piyãko
Young Ashaninka leader Raine Piyãko has been accompanying his father, world-renowned spiritual and environmental leader Benki Piyãko, in his works since early childhood.
Raine began his pajé (spiritual leader) apprenticeship a decade ago under his father’s and grandfather’s auspices. His maternal grandfather Aricemi is also one of Benki’s teachers and one of the highest regarded Sheripiari (tobacco pajé) in the Western Amazon.
Raine is a composer of traditional Ashaninka songs and a talented musician. He is the Vice President of the healing and reforestation center, Institute Yorenka Tasorentsi, in the Brazilian Amazon.
Coming from a lineage of ‘Antaviari’ (direct messenger of God in Ashaninka culture), Raine is steeped in the most profound pajé traditions of the Amazon.
The Huya Aniwa Institute
The Huya Aniwa Institute is a community initiative located on the sacred land of La Noria in the municipality of Mazatlán. It is a natural corridor to the rich biodiversity of the Meseta de Cacaxtla Reserve in Northwestern Mexico. This initiative is guided by indigenous wisdom and dedicated to nature conservation and revitalization.
Retreat Information
Fly to Mazatlán airport on September 25th - Return on October 5th
Huya Institute is located 50 min from the airport
Organic meals will be provided
Option to stay on site or in a home 40 minutes away near the beach
Private room available on request
For more info contact retreats@aniwa.co