Tetepāwā Tukaini

The story of the Eagle and the Samaúma, and the Birth of the Forest... a part of the Yawanawá Creation Story

Biraci Brasil, with his son (left) and nephew (right) at the village of Nova Esperança in Brazil in 2016. Credit: © Sebastião Salgado

Hi All,

The story I am sharing with you this week is that of ‘Tetepāwā Tukaini’—which roughly translates to The Eagle that Died. This story is about how, a long time ago when the Earth was largely baron, the birthing of the plants, the trees and the forests came to happen.

Tetepāwā Tukaini is a part of the Creation Stories of the Yawanawá, and so there are some instructions that are offered regarding how to listen, and how to attend, to the sharing of this story:

• So that you can fully receive this story, choose to listen at a time when you can be fully present.

• Mark the moment that you are going to listen, and commit to being fully with the story, through to its completion.

You’ll hear in the introduction that these stories are based in the Spiritual Force, and that when this Force sees you paying full attention, it will show up. As I mentioned in the first Musings post, there is a Yawanawá saying that goes:

“Listen well, open your ears, and listen to what is inside of this message.”

With your full attention on the story, it is possible for a deeper message, or perhaps a new layer of understanding, to come through.

It’s also good to understand these stories completely, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments—or even say hi! Would love to hear how this story landed for you :)

Thank you so much for being here, much love,

Dennis

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PS: Just a note to inform everyone that, following this post, the 'Musings' posts will be exclusively available to those who have kindly chosen to become paid subscribers. If you are already a paid subscriber, thank you so much for your support. Rest assured, all chapters from Walking with the Serpent will continue to be accessible to all subscribers without charge.

Moreover, I am currently considering the idea of initiating a WWS Gathering, where I would create a monthly space on Zoom specifically for paid subscribers. In this gathering, I envision sharing some concise stories, addressing your questions, and engaging in collective discussions about medicine work, Yawanawá culture, and any other topics that may resonate.

Is this something that interests you? I would love to hear your thoughts…

PPS: Just a gentle request to learn from this story with respect. I share these stories with the intention for them to be listened to with reverence and in a respectful way.

I am so grateful to Matsini, my brother, friend and teacher from the tribe, for giving me permission to share these stories. One traditional path of receiving these stories, and receiving permission to share these stories, is to enter the path of dieta with the tribe. To deepen the connection with the people, study their stories in-depth, learn some of the deeper meanings and receive permission from your teacher to share. I feel very grateful and blessed for my connection with the tribe and the time we spent in study.

I share these stories with a lot of respect for the Yawanawá and their rich culture.

It is my hope, that by listening to these ancient stories, there is the potential for a string being plucked inside of us. A vibration we have maybe never felt or heard before, that resonates so deeply that it can remind us of a calling… A calling home. A calling into a time of great alliance. Because if that time of the great alliance is really here, as the story of Mukavuine will reveal to us, in future musings, I believe it is very important to honour these practices and the cultures they come from.

Let’s respect these stories, and respect the instructions that come with them. When you honour the instructions, you are showing your respect. The spiritual force is watching, you remember… You might miss the gift that is waiting for you inside this message ;-)

So I request that you respect these stories and the instructions that come with them.

Please don’t share these stories without the appropriate permission of the tribe.

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Tetepāwā - Harpia harpyja - Gavião-Real - Harpy Eagle