Ceremonial Medicines

Hapé

Sacred snuff used across Amazonian traditions: deeply grounding, clarifying, and ceremonially powerful.

Hapé (pronounced ha-PAY) is a finely ground medicinal tobacco snuff made from mapacho (Nicotiana rustica), a species far more potent than commercial tobacco, combined with the ashes of sacred plants and trees. It is used across dozens of Amazonian tribes as a grounding, clarifying, and spirit-calling medicine.

Hapé is administered through a pipe, either self-blown (kuripe) or blown by a facilitator (tepi), directly into each nostril. The effect is immediate: a strong energetic clearing, mental stillness, and a powerful grounding of the body. Many people describe it as pressing a reset button that cuts through mental chatter and brings you fully into the present moment.

At Mariri, hapé is woven into ceremony preparation and integration, and is also offered as a standalone practice. It plays an important role in ayahuasca ceremonies, often used to call in the medicine and to help participants ground and return to the body at the end of a session.

Hapé is generally considered lower-risk than other plant medicines, but its high nicotine content means it is not appropriate for people with certain cardiovascular conditions.

Lineage & Tradition

Hapé traditions exist among dozens of Amazonian peoples. The specific blends we use come from the Huni Kuin (Kaxinawá) and Yawanapi peoples, prepared by indigenous craftspeople who maintain traditional knowledge of the medicinal plants combined with the mapacho base.

Preparation

No special preparation is required for hapé. However, it is recommended to avoid eating for at least two hours before a hapé session. Hapé is high in nicotine and should be approached with care by those sensitive to tobacco or with cardiovascular concerns. First-time participants should begin with a smaller amount. Hapé is woven into our multi-day retreats and can also be arranged as a standalone session on request.

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