The ‘Sparks of Kuwai’: Baniwa Cosmovision, Covid-19, and the ‘Nós Cuidamos’ [‘We Care’] Campaign

The spread of Covid-19 among the vulnerable indigenous populations of Amazonia has produced complex moral and spiritual issues that have demanded creative and cooperative solutions. The Baniwa indigenous peoples of the Northwest Amazon pin the spread of the pandemic on the failure of humans to observe respectful relations with the spirit-people of the environment. Ritual specialists typically believe that the pandemic is due to humans having violated the original instructions, remembered in initiation ceremonies and reinforced throughout a lifetime. Consequently, they further believe, the spirit-people of the environment retaliate by inflicting sicknesses, including the Covid-19 pandemic. To reverse the damage, a strong movement of healthcare led by indigenous women has promoted a revitalization of the use of herbal medicines together with healing practices and the traditional teachings of the initiation rites for men and women.