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.:Shipibo:.
Living in small communities along the Ucayali River, the Shipibo are one of Peru’s largest indigenous groups. Primarily artisans, hunters and fishermen, the Shipibo express their traditions through their shamanic religion and visionary arts, notably the distinctive patterns painted on their clothing, pottery and textiles.
Medicinal songs or icaros transmitted through local curanderos – plant-based shamans and healers – are translated into colourful geometric tapestries by Shipibo women, with each song and corresponding pattern embodying the energy of a specific Amazonian plant. The designs are a woven visualisation of each plant’s song, almost serving as a musical score.
Shipibo patterns are believed to heal physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ailments, with each design carrying its own meaning. Some are said to bring wisdom or protection; others attract abundance. The cloths are worn as skirts, placed on tables or beds, hung on walls or used in ceremony.
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