Hapé: Insight into Sacred Amazonian Plant Medicine

Hapé or Rapé: Sacred Amazonian Plant Medicine for Clarity, Healing & Connection

A wooden bowl filled with a fine brown powder, traditional Hapé medicine, accompanied by a carved snuff pipe and fresh green leaves, set on a textured fabric background.

🌱 What is Hapé?

Hapé (also spelled Rapé and pronounced ha-PAY) is a sacred plant medicine used by Indigenous tribes of the Amazon for thousands of years. It is not a recreational product — it is a ceremonial snuff prepared with deep prayer, intention, and respect for the plants and spirits of the forest.

The heart of most hapé blends is Nicotiana rustica, also known as mapacho tobacco. This Amazonian tobacco is much stronger than the tobacco used in cigarettes (Nicotiana tabacum) and is always combined with the alkaline ashes of other plants and trees. Each tribe, and sometimes each family, carries their own unique recipes and prayers, making every hapé blend truly unique.

Common ash plants include Tsunu, Murici, Cumaru, Jurema, mint leaves, banana peel, or even aromatic herbs. These combinations give hapé its energetic character — some blends are grounding, others uplifting, heart-opening, clarifying, or protective.


A wooden bowl filled with brown powder, surrounded by green leaves, dried tobacco leaves, a wooden pipe, and a colorful beaded bracelet.

🔮 Traditional Purposes of Hapé

In the Amazon, hapé is always used with intention. It is seen as a tool to:

  • Clear negative energy from a person or a space.
  • Sharpen focus and bring clarity to the mind.
  • Prepare for a ceremony or prayer, especially with ayahuasca.
  • Detoxify body and spirit, helping release heavy energies.
  • Cleanse the respiratory system, clearing mucus and congestion.
  • Support emotional balance, bringing grounding and calm.
  • Align the chakras and open channels of perception.

For the Indigenous peoples, hapé is not only a medicine for the body but a medicine for the spirit — a way of connecting with the forest, ancestors, and the Great Spirit.


🧬 Science & Safety: What We Know

Modern studies have analyzed hapé and confirmed what the tribes have always known: it is very potent.

  • Nicotine strength: Nicotiana rustica can contain up to 9% nicotine (vs. 1–3% in cigarette tobacco).
  • Bioavailability: Because hapé is mixed with alkaline ashes, it raises the pH in the nose, which makes nicotine more readily absorbed.
  • Addiction potential: Like all tobacco products, hapé carries a risk of dependence if overused.
  • Other chemicals: Studies have detected tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), known toxins that occur in tobacco preparations.

⚠️ Cautions:

  • Do not use hapé if you have heart/respiratory issues.
  • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please be sure to choose a Hape that is low in tobacco and soft herb blends. Be cautious.
  • Overuse can cause irritation, dryness, or even nasal bleeding, as hapé is very cleansing for the sinuses.
  • Use only in safe, ceremonial, or intentional settings.

🌿 Responsible & Respectful Use

Because hapé is so strong, moderation is essential.

  • Recommended rhythm: No more than 3 times per week for regular practice.
  • Immersion protocols: In ceremonial contexts, a healer may guide daily use for 1–4 weeks (e.g., a 30-day deepening process). These periods are always followed by rest and integration time.
  • Integration: Just as important as the medicine itself is the time and space afterward — to let body, mind, and spirit absorb the teachings.
  • Listen to your body: If you experience bleeding, excessive dryness, dizziness, or discomfort, pause and allow your system to recover.

Remember: hapé is not meant to be abused or treated casually. It is sacred medicine that deserves respect and intention.


🌸 Our Intention in Carrying Hapé

We share hapé with the community as caretakers of a sacred tradition, not as sellers of a product. Each blend we carry has been made with prayer by Indigenous keepers of the medicine and comes with the responsibility of continuing that respect.

We encourage all who work with hapé to:
✨ Use it with prayer and intention.
✨ Honor the plants, the people, and the traditions.
✨ Respect your body’s limits and allow integration.
✨ Remember this medicine is about connection, healing, and clarity — not about habit or escape.


🌍Hapé is a gift from the Amazon, a bridge between humans and the spirit of the forest. When used respectfully, it can bring deep clarity, grounding, and healing. Like all sacred tools, it asks us to walk carefully, with humility and intention.

We invite you to learn, explore, and connect with hapé in a way that honors the traditions, your body, and your


🌍💨🌳 Huni Kuin TraditionTsunu Hapé

Tsunu is one of the most revered and widely shared hapés among the Amazonian tribes. Known as a medicine of clarity, grounding, and balance, Tsunu hapé brings the spirit back into alignment when life feels scattered or heavy. It is made by the Huni Kuin and is utilized to prepare for deep prayer, meditation, and ceremony.

This sacred blend supports the clearing of negative energies, aligns the mind with the heart, and provides a strong, stabilizing energy that allows one to stand firmly on the Earth while remaining open to Spirit. Both beginners and experienced practitioners often choose Tsunu as a trusted ally — a medicine of truth, strength, and presence.

A wooden spoon-like applicator and a bowl of brown powder on a wooden surface, accompanied by green leaves, with the text 'HUNI KUIN TRADITION Tsunu Rapé' in white above.

🍃 Nawa Mint Hapé (Feminine Energy)

Crafted by the women of a Shipibo Tribe, this hapé carries a gentle yet powerful feminine essence. Infused with mint, eucalyptus, citronella, lemongrass, and tobacco, Nawa Mint awakens the senses with freshness while soothing the nervous system with its calming embrace.

This medicine is a balm for the heart — it uplifts the spirit, opens the breath, and relieves tension and anxiety. It is also cherished for its respiratory benefits, helping to clear sinuses and ease congestion, while energetically opening the heart chakra. Perfect for those seeking a hapé that is both invigorating and soft, Nawa Mint is like a breath of fresh air for body, mind, and soul.

A flat lay image featuring a bowl of Nawa Mint Hapé powder surrounded by various fresh herbs including mint leaves, lemongrass, and green branches, all set against a brown background.

🌸 Jurema Hapé (Mimosa hostilis)

Jurema is a plant of vision, prayer, and ancestral power. The Fulni-ô and other tribes of Northeastern Brazil have worked with Jurema for countless generations, honoring it as a portal to the unseen and a bridge to the spirits of nature.

Jurema hapé carries a “flying” quality — uplifting, expansive, and deeply connective. It helps the spirit remember its place in the great web of life and opens the heart to communion with the natural world and Mother Earth. For those seeking a medicine that can expand awareness and deepen spiritual insight, Jurema hapé is a profound ally.

A wooden stick, a pink flower, green leaves, and a mound of brown powder labeled 'Jurema Hapé (Mimosa hostilis)' on a light background.

🔥 Murici Hapé (Byrsonima crassifolia)

Murici is a hapé of purification and strength. The ashes of the Murici tree bring a sharp, powerful quality that works deeply on both the physical and energetic levels. It is said to cleanse the “hardness” of the body, clear blockages in the mind, and re-energize the spirit.

This hapé is often used to cleanse the frontal lobe and open new pathways of awareness, supporting clarity of thought and vision. Murici is a strong medicine for those ready to shed old energies, align with truth, and walk forward with resilience and focus. It is respected as a medicine of warriors, sharpening inner strength and determination.

A wooden bowl filled with a dark powder, labeled Murici Hapé (Byrsonima crassifolia), accompanied by two traditional wooden pipes and green leaves, set on a circular wooden platter.

🌬️ Nukini Sansara Hapé

Prepared in the Nukini tradition with handmade tobacco, Tsunu ash, and Sansara leaves, this hapé carries the healing power of the forest. Sansara is highly valued in traditional medicine for its bronchial-opening, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic qualities, and in hapé it brings a soothing yet potent spirit.

Nukini Sansara hapé supports deep breathing, relieves headaches and tension, and connects one to a state of inner calm. Spiritually, it helps restore balance when the mind is overactive or the body carries stress. For those seeking a hapé that combines healing, soothing energy, and spiritual strength, Nukini Sansara is a beautiful choice.

A wooden pipe next to a small glass jar filled with finely ground Nukini Sansara Hapé powder, placed on a wooden surface, with greenery blurred in the background.

🌺 Yawanawá Hapé (Mulungu — Força Feminina)

The Yawanawá people describe this hapé as carrying the força feminina — the strength of the feminine. Blended with Mulungu tree ash and strong Moi tobacco, it is a medicine of cleansing, protection, and deep healing.

Mulungu is traditionally known as a calming tree, one that soothes the nervous system and opens the heart. In hapé, it becomes a powerful ally for emotional release, grounding, and reconnecting with inner strength. Yawanawá hapé is one of the most respected and widely shared medicines, carried across the world in ceremonies and retreats. It invites those who seek healing of the heart, protection of the spirit, and the strength of the Divine Feminine.

A bowl of Yawanawá hapé powder with a wooden applicator, next to a red hibiscus flower and green leaves, on a textured fabric background.

🌿 Peruvian Ayahuasca Bark Hapé

This rare and powerful hapé originates from Peru, crafted from the sacred ayahuasca vine bark, blended with mapacho tobacco (Nicotiana rustica), and ancestral ashes. It carries the deep spirit of the vine, creating a medicine that is both grounding and visionary.

Traditionally, ayahuasca bark hapé is used to clear heavy energies, open spiritual pathways, and prepare the body and mind for ceremony. Its unique vibration connects the snuff tradition with the energy of the ayahuasca vine, offering a bridge between the seen and unseen worlds.

Benefits & Energetic Gifts:

  • Opens the heart and supports deep meditation.
  • Enhances clarity and spiritual connection.
  • Grounds the body while lifting the spirit.
  • Can assist with integration after ayahuasca ceremonies.

⚠️ Important Note: This blend is very strong and must be approached with respect. Because it contains ayahuasca bark and mapacho, it is not recommended for daily use. We suggest submitting no more than 1–2 applications per week, unless instructed to do so in a ceremonial protocol. Avoid use if taking SSRIs, MAO inhibitors, or other medications, and always listen to your body.

A jar containing powdered Peruvian ayahuasca bark hapé is placed on a wooden surface, accompanied by two pieces of brown bark, with the text 'Ayahpé' and 'Peruvian Ayahuasca Bark Hapé' overlaying the image.

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