ABOUT US

AMA

/ˌɑː.mə/

in many different languages around the globe, Ama translates as mother or grandmother

KAYA

/ˈkaɪ.ə/

our favourite word in the Shipibo language,

translated as soul, shadow or reflection. It can also mean

“that which makes us exist”

Maestros Richi and Julio are brothers. They each began drinking ayahuasca and learning the Shipibo plant medicine craft over 35 years ago. Kajsa and Jonathan have been drinking ayahuasca and studying plant medicine for the last 15 years. The four of them came together as they crossed paths over the years working at some of the large ayahuasca centers here in Peru.

Amakaya was born when the four of them decided to set off and create a small and intimate center together.

They encourage dedication, practice, and patience. They prioritize stillness, silence, and getting to the roots inside. They blend timeless Shipibo wisdom with modern, scientifically-grounded understanding and treat learning, growing, and healing as parts of the same whole.

Their great hope is that by being who they are and staying true to the authentic path of medicine work, they will attract the right people to come and share with them— and that, all together, they will contribute something great to the preservation and empowerment of the Shipibo tradition.

NETE BESÓ - RICHI

His Shipibo name, Nete Beso, means 'the one who awakens the universe', but he prefers to just be called Richi or brother or maestro.

He had his first drink of ayahuasca 34 years ago in a world that looked and felt much different than the world around us today. Over the years, he has worked at some of the very large, well-known ayahuasca centers (which is where we first met him), but he strongly prefers small, intimate ceremonial settings. Not only is he always calm and positive, but he has an innocence and simplicity at his core that we think makes him one of a kind.

He enjoys working with foreigners, often commenting how interesting and different their minds and struggles are from his own indigenous community. He loves his family, his culture, his farmland, and above all, his work as a maestro. He often smiles while reminding people, “Let go of the past and focus on where you want to go.”

METSA MANÓ - JULIO

His Shipibo name, Metsa Mano, means 'beautiful land'.

His story is similar to that of his younger brother, Richi. He grew up deep in the jungle, where he still lives today. He learned the Shipibo craft from his grandfather and other elders in his village and is now dedicated to passing it on to his own son and others. After having worked at the large, well-known ayahuasca centers he now prefers the intimate, no-frills work we do at Amakaya. His essence can be seen clearly in his work ethic and the way he cares for his family and neighbors.

When he is not running ceremonies or dietas, he is likely to be found repairing engines, cutting lumber, hauling plantains, or baking bread for his family to sell in the village. During the day, he grabs your heart with his infectious smile and lively storytelling. At night in ceremony, he sings with a steady flow that carries you like a river to exactly where you need to go.

KAJSA LISA

The medicine had been working in Kajsa’s life long before she moved to Peru. In a story that is almost beyond belief, Kajsa’s mother had come to the Amazon in the 1970’s as a nurse to work specifically with the Shipibo tribe. This was a time when the Peruvian jungle had almost no contact with the outside world — she was one of the first white women many of the Shipibos had ever seen.

Kajsa then grew up in Sweden with mysterious embroidered fabrics, painted clay pots, and monkey teeth necklaces — glimpses into a far away world.

Thirty something years later, Kajsa finds herself living in that far away world, an apprentice of the Shipibo ayahuasca craft, student of the language, and a virtuoso of the Shipibo embroidery tradition. The story sounds too good to be true, but it is. Kajsa radiates joy and strength. She is an artist at heart and an inspiration to everyone who comes in contact with her.

JONATHAN

23 years ago, Jonathan had his first encounter with Psilocybin, an experience that initiated a process of learning and seeking that would lead him to Brazil and ayahuasca a decade later. Since 2016, Jonathan has been living in Peru studying the effects and indigenous traditions of both ayahuasca and huachuma.

A scientist at heart, he was once a staunch Shipibo skeptic — but now considers himself a defender and apprentice of the Shipibo tradition. He loves to tell the story of how this change occurred — the evidence and experiences that he could not ignore, the synchronicities that helped him

open his mind, and his ongoing quest to understand how people, plants, and nature are connected underneath the surface. He loves to work and identifies first and foremost as a student.