Mission Statement
The director about her mission & motivation behind SHIWAHUACO
“The Amazon is such a beautiful, mysterious, powerful, symbiotic and wise entity. She is speaking to us through ancient stories and indigenous knowledge, referring to the traditional practices of humankind, in the changing face of planetary evolution.
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It fascinates me, how Mother Earth provides for us, not just through being a highly intelligent, natural pharmacy: But through her unconditional practice of giving.
And what is she receiving from us?
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More than a decade ago, I have chosen to consult the natural medicine wisdom of the Amazonian healing tradition of Dieta - dieting plants/trees - in the Peruvian jungle through the help of a curandero. I was looking for a cure for my own breast cancer condition. After the traumatic experiences in the western medical system and the growing impact of my health condition on my wellbeing, I was confronted with the fear of being incapacitated or even dying young.
I was looking for a radical shift and change to step into the responsibility of my own healing, to take back my power. Raised in an urban context of Europe, it marked a huge leap of change to dedicate to a different form of life.
I have spent three years sitting in Dieta in isolation in the Amazon. Through this life-changing experience, taking the time to heal, observe and feel the heartbeat of the jungle, my consciousness was expanded.
Highlighting the Nexus between individual and planetary health is the root of my calling. It is time to learn, participate and share in a sustainable way about preserving and protecting what is threatened. Throughout the years have I become aware of the importance of stepping into Earth Stewardship.
After venturing into the Amazon for one decade, I felt the necessity to start sharing on a larger scale. With filmic representations it is more likely to reach audiences worldwide. With having an academic and professional background in the theory of film, visual arts and film production, I started to develop the idea for Shiwahuaco.
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Why do I talk about this one specific tree, Shiwahuaco? It is the most deforested tree of the Amazon Basin, a region which is affected by global forces and strategies of greedy consumerism, destruction and exploitation. Shiwahuaco is going extinct. Before it is too late, it is of utmost importance to me to document the profound entity and medicine Shiwahuaco is.
Which (post-)colonial and capitalistic mechanisms are at play in the Amazon? How and what can we develop to enliven a positive contribution to change the current trajectory?
This film project is accompanied by my research thesis in the graduate program of Visual and Media Anthropology at HMKW Berlin, Germany.”