This is what it's all about
Did you know that the Amazon region is not only the most bio diverse place in the world, but is also home to hundreds of different native communities? They are descendants of the population that inhabited the Amazon region prior to the conquest, colonization and establishment of a state system in South America. Nowadays, activities such as deforestation, mineral extraction, oil and gas production and commercial agriculture not only threaten the biodiversity of the rain forest, but also destroy and condense the natural habitat of the native communities.
The stance of these native communities is pointing the way to the future. And this is the way forward for all of us. Through their sustainable use of natural resources, their unique knowledge of native plants and animals, and above all through their defense of their territories, they make a significant contribution to the protection of biological diversity.
We at Chakana are convinced that it is time to help and support the activities of these communities! With this goal in mind, a year ago, after our visit to a Shipibo community in the Amazon, we founded the association Chakana.
Blick über den Amazonas Fluss, 
auf einem der Nebenflüsse 
entfaltet sich die Natur 
und die Grenze zwischen Wasser und Erde verschwimmt. 
Ein Ort der Stille, 
und des Einklangs 
mit der Natur. 
Ein Naturheilzentrum inmitten des Regenwaldes, 
wo Isabel das Wissen ihrer Vorfahren hütet 
und an die nächsten Generationen weitergeben möchte..
Help us to save millennia old knowledge about nature for future generations!
The Shipibo natives, who we are collaborating with, live in the heart of the sparsely populated region of Loreto in the Peruvian Amazon rain forest. There they have been practicing the shamanic traditions of their ancestors for generations with the purpose of bringing people into balance with themselves and everything that surrounds them. They help people to solve personal conflicts and to find self-acceptance and inner peace. Their ceremonies are always accompanied by traditional healing songs - the so-called Icaros - which use the high frequencies of the human voice as a therapeutic tool.
As part of our Chakana project we will work together with the local community:
- to repair their natural healing center;
- to use natural materials and local building techniques;
- to build sustainable composting toilets;
- to expand the garden according to the principles of permaculture;
- to plant endemic medicinal plants.
- to promote the exchange of knowledge between South America and Europe.
The preservation of the healing center will enable future generations to continue their traditions, thus making a substantial contribution to the survival of the Shipibo culture, with its unique handicrafts, its millennia-old knowledge of the rain forest and its transcendent melodies.
The 15,000 Swiss francs that we want to raise through the campaign will allow us to launch this exciting project and to start working closely with locals in the summer of 2019. The transportation costs of the Chakana team will be borne by ourselves.
A successful campaign is just the beginning of this exciting journey that we want to take you on! While we continue to work with the association as a community platform based in Zurich, we want to carry out more Art-in-Action projects year after year, to preserve the environment and help local communities. And we want to give you the opportunity to actively participate in this process, be it as a volunteer in the rain forest, as a generous contributor from home or as a performing artist at our events! With every Swiss Franc/US Dollar you make this project possible!
As a team, we are convinced that we can make this project a success: Sarah works as an architect (BSc ETH Arch) in Zurich and is involved in art-in-action projects during her art master’s degree at the ZHdK. Agustin builds on his many years of experience in cultural management and project development. With his collective Dharma he has been successfully realizing projects in the fields of culture, art and technology for over 10 years.
Due to our expertise in architecture and project development as well as our experience and connection to Latin America, we are convinced that we can realize this project with your support.
Other team members: Sandra Bühler: Audiovisual Media, Zurich Mel Giese: Art Booking, Zurich Nico Stephou: Graphic design, Berlin Nestor Paiva: Shipibo Representative, Peru
Robin ist ein Meister in seinem Handwerk 
und kennt die lokalen Hölzer wie kein Anderer. 
Blätter werden zu Einheiten gebunden 
und Stück für Stück übereinander geschichtet. 
Dabei entsteht eine nachhaltige Architektur 
welche optimal vor Hitze und Regen schützt.
Exceptional art for christmas!
You help us, we help you! By supporting our project, you have already found your Christmas presents! The beautiful hand-embroidered Kené-textiles you can receive in return for supporting this campaign are the greatest gifts: each of them is unique and carries a history. The geometric patterns reflect the natural world in the Amazon rain forest, for example in the Anaconda, which is considered the mother of the designs, in the fish, Ipi, which has similar patterns on its head or in the plant of the same name, Ipo Kené, which makes its meaning clear.
On the photos you can see the various rewards that you can choose from in return for your donation. And who knows, maybe you would like to be enchanted by the mystical sounds of the Icaros at next year’s dark concert in Zurich or download the exclusive compilation of the musicians who took part in the first Chakana cycle?
Ein Shipibo-Kene entsteht... 
Von Hand bestickter Shipibo Schal 
Von Hand besticktes Shipibo Stofftuch 
Von Hand bestickte Shipibo Tischsets 
Von Hand bestickter Shipibo Tischläufer 
Werde Baum-Pate! 
10er Kartenset «Amazonia» 
Exklusives Album «Amazonia»