Mamo Rafael Malo
Wiwa · Colombia
A doctor of traditional medicine, he performs pagamentos (sacred offerings) with zhatkwa and awarrinchi, as well as with sacred thoughts and consecrated objects, to restore harmony and prevent spiritual and physical illness. He conducts baptisms for homes, ceremonial houses, and individuals, anchoring both spaces and lives in alignment with the Law of Origin. He also offers guidance on the responsible and life-affirming use of sexual energy for the wellbeing of social and communal life, and provides general spiritual consultations. Mamo Rafael continues to live in the traditional ways of his ancestors, high in the Sierra Nevada mountains, without electricity and in deep relationship with the land. Until last year, he had never traveled outside of his community. His only journey beyond the Sierra was to Mazatlán, marking a rare and meaningful step in sharing the wisdom of his people. All of his work is dedicated to preventing illness in nature and humanity, protecting the masculine principle in trees, animals, and human beings, and safeguarding against harmful winds and unseen forces that disturb balance.
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