/ jɐ . kũn /
/ kē . bē /
good, life-giving, essence of creation
a bridge,
to bridge
KIBI
JAKÓN
Our Mission
In the Shipibo language, Jakon Kibi means “Bridge with the Life-Giving Good Essence of Creation.” Our community is focused on the practice, preservation and safe / ethical transmission of the revered Amazonian plant medicine tradition of the Shipibo-Konibo people.
We seek to directly benefit the Shipibo-Konibo people and underserved communities by providing a resource for clear, accessible information around the foundations of Shipibo-Konibo plant medicine for those seeking to connect with and learn from this tradition. We are committed to serve as a reciprocal bridge between the Shipibo, who are sharing their traditional healing work, and those seeking the opportunity to experience this powerful healing practice based in plant medicine and energetic connection.
Learn More About Ayahuasca and the Shipibo Approach Ceremony
Our Values
Authenticity & Reciprocity
For Jakon Kibi, working with the Shipibo medicine tradition comes with the responsibility to uphold the relationships and ecosystems that make this healing possible. It’s not enough to benefit from this medicine — we also need to support the people who carry it and the land that sustains it.
The Shipibo have protected and practiced this tradition for generations. Their knowledge isn’t abstract or symbolic — it’s lived, earned, and continually refined through deep relationship with the plants. When we engage with this medicine, especially outside its cultural context, we need to be clear about where it comes from and who has made it possible.
Too often, this work is taken out of context, abusively syncretized (combined with other traditions) and used in ways that extract more than they give back. This includes underpaying Shipibo healers, sidelining their identities and voices, or creating commercial models that benefit outsiders more than the Shipibo healers/communities themselves.
Reciprocity means doing the opposite: centering Shipibo leadership, supporting fair compensation, and contributing to efforts that protect the continuity of the people who have stewarded this medicine. It means ensuring the people who keep this tradition alive can thrive and are respected as healers, teachers, and leaders.
At Jakon Kibi, we are committed to maintaining a culture of authenticity. We offer traditional ceremonies guided by visiting Shipibo Maestras/Maestros, and highly trained non-Shipibo apprentices (with a minimum of 10 years experience) who chant in the Shipibo language/Icaro style to guide, protect and open channels of healing with the Master Plants. We do not mix Eastern traditions, other Indigenous practices or Western wellness trends with our ceremonies as so often happens in the “spiritual shopping mall” of modern capitalistic approaches to psychedelics/wellness.
We are not separate from the systems we participate in. When we work with Shipibo medicine, we are part of a larger ecosystem — one that requires care, accountability, and long-term commitment.
Bobinsana (Calliandra angustifolia) flower
Equity & Access
Throughout the last 20+ years of growing interest in Ayahuasca and Amazonian plant medicine around the world, the majority of people/communities that have had the opportunity to experience Shipibo-Konibo medicine, in the Amazon or abroad, have been privileged people of European descent. While our community is open to people of all backgrounds, we are focused on changing this imbalance and opening channels for this healing work to be accessible to BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) and underserved communities.
If this is a cause you believe in and would like to support, please let us know. If you identify as BIPOC and are interested in exploring this medicine tradition, we invite you to reach out. If you’re someone with resources or privilege who wants to help make this work more accessible, we welcome your support and solidarity.
We are building a community that centers care, safety, and justice — not just in words, but in practice. This includes a deep commitment to creating space for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and all people from historically marginalized backgrounds to feel supported in their healing.
Ayahuma tree (Couroupita guianensis)
Towards a Decolonized Medicine System
Our work is in service of a future where healing is accessible, rooted in community, and guided by respect for Indigenous knowledge systems. We support BIPOC communities in connecting with the Shipibo plant medicine tradition as part of a broader effort to decolonize healing practices and systems.
Moving towards a decolonized medicine system requires us to recognize that modern medicine is a colonial artifact—that colonization, racism and capitalism have historically shaped healthcare systems, practices, and research. It requires us to challenge dominant medical models that pathologize pain and disconnect it from broader psychological and social realities. It requires us to honor the depth of Indigenous knowledge systems and support healing practices that are grounded in relationship with nature and community, rather than in systems of institutional control.
We envision a future where traditional plant medicine and Indigenous medicine knowledge is respected and integrated with modern medical tools and technologies, ultimately creating a medical system that better serves patients and planet.
Our Vision
The Shipibo plant medicine tradition has the capacity to bring profound healing, awakening, and transformation to ourselves, our communities, and our planet, restoring balance and well-being through ancestral energetic practices and a reverential relationship with ourselves and nature.
If our mission, values and vision speak to you, whether you are interested in this work for your own healing or you would like to collaborate with us, we’d love to hear from you.