Yawanawa Fireside Concert & Cultural Exchange (In Edinburgh!)

Resiliance & Prayers in a time of neo-Colonization & Cultural Revival!

We are truly blessed and lucky to have a last minute opportunity to host a Yawanawa family in Edinburgh, at the Salisbury Centre, as part of their European cultural exchange tour!

Today the Yawanawá people are experiencing a cultural renewal. With a population of around 1,500 people, their traditions, language, and ceremonies are once again thriving.

Their culture is now shared and celebrated around the world, offering powerful lessons about resilience, connection with nature, and the strength of ancestral wisdom.

Join us for

• An intimate evening with representatives of the Yawanawa people of the Brazilian Amazon
• Sharing ancestral culture, traditions, and spiritual wisdom
• Traditional prayers and dance
• Reflections on how their traditions continue to guide and sustain their community
• ⁠A space for cultural exchange, connection, and unity
• Gathering together in the spirit of community around the fireside
• ⁠⁠Family Event

Beyond being a concert, it is also intended as a meaningful cultural exchange and an opportunity to raise financial support for the visiting family and their community through ticket sales.

The Yawanawá are an Indigenous people of the Brazilian Amazon who have lived for generations in deep relationship with the forest along the Gregório River in the state of Acre.

Like many Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, the Yawanawá faced colonisation, violence, and attempts to erase their culture. Their population was drastically reduced and their traditions were suppressed. Yet through the strength and determination of their elders and leaders, they preserved their knowledge and continued to pass it on.
Their culture is rooted in a profound understanding of nature, medicinal plants, sacred songs, and spiritual traditions that honour the connection between humans and the natural world.

Mew Yawanawá

Mew Yawanawá is a spiritual leader from the Matrincha village in the Brazilian Amazon and the leader of a large family within his community.

Mew was the last student of the great pajé (shaman) Tatá, receiving important teachings and initiations directly from him, as well as learning with other respected elders of the Yawanawá people. Deeply rooted in village life, he carries and shares the living traditions of his culture, helping to keep the wisdom of his ancestors alive.

Yskunvasi Yawanawá

Accompanying him is his daughter, Yskunvasi Yawanawá, who has been dedicating herself to the spiritual, she is also a singer who carries the traditional melodies of her community. Her voice reflects the spirit of the forest and the strength of the feminine within Yawanawá culture.

Together, father and daughter represent the living continuity of Yawanawá culture and the enduring wisdom of the Amazon forest.

More info on the visiting family members here:

• Kaline Yawanawá
• Mew Yawanawá

• Salisbury Centre Garden/Fire Pit
• Directions & Address

Accessibility:

The Salisbury Centre’s kitchen door and toilet are now wheelchair accessible. The Garden can also be accessed by wheelchairs via a movable ramp via the Art Room Annex
Please let the organisers know in advance of any access requirements by emailing:
[email protected]

• Please arrive from 18:00
  The doors will open at this time, and we won’t be able to let people in earlier.
• The concert will begin at 18:20: so do arrive in good time to land, say hello to others, and greet the place if you wish.

• This is an outdoor event and outside can be chilly, so please bring plenty of warm layers (although there will be a fire!) and waterproof just in case
• Something warm to sit on (and put on the benches/chairs)
• A thermos with your favourite warm drink is also recommended.
  

• In the latter part of the evening (20:15–21:00), the Yawanawá family will share and offer some of their handmade crafts and Indigenous items for sale to help raise funds for their travels. There will also be an opportunity to meet them and have a conversation.

Weather considerations & Refunds

• In case of severely adverse weather the event will move into an alternative indoor Room at the Salisbury Centre
• In case of Cancellation refunds will be issued via eventbrite

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Host or Publisher The Salisbury Centre SCIO