Ana Menech

Assistant Director

Ana Menech is an integral part of the Kawsay family bringing much heart, patience, and love to our center an invaluable part of why Kawsay even exists.

Her soft way, concern for all that come to Kawsay for healing brings great energy to our center.

Ana comes from a lineage of shamans as both grandfathers on both her mother and father’s side were healers and shamans, as well as both of her brothers, which are practicing healers and shamans also.

She is a native Peruvian born and raised in the city of Iquitos, Peru located in the Amazon Jungle.

Don Romulo

Trunco Ayahuascero

Don Romulo is the chief master shaman that we are aligned and work with, for our Ayahuasca ceremonies. Don Romulo was born in 1936, he is a rare breed of shaman called a “Trunco Ayahuasquero.”

A “Trunco” has the ability through many years of strict diets, isolation in the jungle, working with Ayahuasca and the spirits, to become the “chair” or “bank” of the spirits. The spirits enter and are a part of Don Romulos body to help cure people of disease. Don Romulo has mastered the spiritual aspect of earth, water, air, and fire. Here is Don Romulo’s history in his own words.

“My first experience with Ayahuasca I was 8 years old. When I drank with my oldest brother on this very dark night, it was revealed to me many secrets that Ayahuasca keeps.

I made the decision to become a shaman because my father and oldest brother were shamans and also I saw a lot of people who needed help.
Many people have diseases that science could not find the cause.

After my first ceremony, I began a regime of strict diets, no salt, sugar, spicy, acidic, or oily foods. With this diet, I received much knowledge of the medicinal plants that exist in the Amazon.

After this, I began to do ceremonies with Ayahuasca. During my visions, I encountered many small humanoids similar to what the appearance of elves might look like. They taught me how to see the disease that the patient was suffering from and what medicinal plants were needed to alleviate the condition.

When I was 12 years old, the first person I was able to cure was a baby who was suffering from manchari. Manchari is a condition defined by apparent fright and continued crying and nervous fits that do not subside over a period of time. Through the process taught to me by the spirits and Ayahuasca, the manchari was cured.

To be a shaman, I must know how to cure many diseases. I continued my ceremonies and diets into the depths of the jungle. Continuing to learn more Icaros, which are magical healing songs. Different problems have their own icaros to remedy the problem.

As I continued to diet more, I quickly learned many things. I learned about many more medicinal plants, trees, and vines that Mother Nature has given to us for healing.

When I was 20 years old, I was given the medicine of “La Ponga,” which is a spiritual tree in the Amazon Jungle. La Ponga was given to me like a phlegm called Mariri.

With this phlegm, I then became able to cure people who were inflicted with witchcraft from sorcerers or Brujos. Brujos are practitioners of negative magical works.

Being a shaman, it is necessary to be prepared for all sorts of spiritual situations. You need to have healing and defensive ability. To be a shaman, you have to be strong and brave because we are exposed to the dangers of the brujos.

Ayahuasca holds many secrets, many people do not know what is real and exist in the physical and spiritual world. To study the spirit world with Ayahuasca has a beginning but not an end.

At my age now I have a lot of knowledge about Ayahuasca. I have taught many people on the path with Ayahuasca, and I am not stingy teaching what I know.”

The lineage of Don Romulo goes back many generations so far that there is no record or memory past his great great grandfather. I, William have been a testament to the power and integrity that Don Romulo works with, he is a humble man and very wise.

If only a handful of us could know just a portion of his experience, our lives would be enriched immeasurably.