KA’A, ERVA-MATE

Drawing: Cris Takuá

Kunhã Tatá, Doralice, was like a grandma to me, a teacher. She introduced me to and taught me about the sacred master of Nhe’ërÿ: Ka’a.

Ela contava que Ka’a e Takuá eram as filhas de Nhanderu. Um dia, andando pela Terra, ele pegou um galhinho de cedro e assoprou, criando assim uma criança, que brincava e urinava por todo canto. Então nasceu um brotinho de erva mate, a Ka’á. Era uma menina e ela já cantava com takuapu. Por isso que até hoje as mulheres cantam batendo o bastão de taquara no chão.

Takuá and Ka’a left with Nhanderu when the world caught fire, the big water came and everything ended. But, to this day, the Guarani have mate herb to do their chimarrão – a bitter infusion served in a gourd – and taquara for the takaupu – and also to weave straw for sieves and baskets.

Nhe’e kuery, the spirits who live with Nhanderu, are telling the prayers that the earth is going to end again. There has already been a period of darkness in the old days. There was no more sunrise, and yet the water came.

In this earth we are now, sooner or later this will happen too. If it doesn't happen, we won't be able to stand the increasingly hot weather, and rain will come, yapó há’puá tatareve’gua, clay with fire from the sky, will come.

Nhanderu thinks the world is too old and wants to clean the earth.

This is how Kunhã Tatá used to tell us, giving us guidance on how to walk around the Earth, how to respect time, understanding the direction of the winds, clouds and thunder.

For the Guarani people, time splits in two: Ara Ymã, the old time, and Ara Pyau, the new time. Whenever times change, it is customary to perform the Ka’a ceremony for protection and strengthening.

Now we are beginning another Ara Ymã, time of concentration and seclusion. There is no precise date on which times change. But the Tupã kuery, the thunders, pass sending warnings. The prayers understand the signal, and quickly instruct the tembiguai, guardians of the houses, to go harvest the Ka’a.

During the Ka'a consecration ceremony we learnt a lot, we see many things that she shows us and she puts us in our places, guiding us to follow the time that begins with wisdom and tranquility.

 

Photo: Carlos Papá

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In the middle of the dawn

Amidst the chants of the tarova

Concentrated in the pestle

I felt myself greening

It was the healing master’s force

Ka’a, the teacher of times

Daughter of Nhanderu

And I saw her, beautifully, greeting

Sacred Nhamandu Mirim, the Sun,

 Who was slowly rising

And with his radiant tail

our entire home he was yellowing

opy’i, our house of prayers

Our living school in dancing

Teaching and learning

This is how we keep on walking.

🌿🌿🌿🌱

Photo: Cris Takuá