ASOMASHK

ASOMASHK is an association of indigenous Shipibo-Konibo ancestral healers (Onanyabo) based in Yarinacocha, Pucallpa, Peru, with presence across Ucayali, Loreto, Huánuco, and Madre de Dios. The organization is dedicated to preserving and transmitting traditional Amazonian knowledge across generations, protecting both Shipibo-Konibo culture and the biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon. Their work spans traditional medicine, community health, intergenerational education, and territorial stewardship, approached through a decolonial, holistic framework. Asociación de Onanyabo Médicos Ancestrales Shipibo Konibo (ASOMASHK) is an indigenous-led organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and transmitting the ancient medical knowledge and cultural heritage of the Shipibo-Konibo people in the Peruvian Amazon. Rooted in the Ucayali, Loreto, Huánuco, and Madre de Dios regions, the organization serves as a vital guardian of ancestral wisdom, defending indigenous rights and promoting holistic community well-being. By championing a decolonial, holistic framework for health, ASOMASHK bridges traditional Amazonian medical science with contemporary healthcare pathways, ensuring that ancestral healing arts remain respected and self-determined. At the core of its mission, the organization utilizes traditional Amazonian medical methodologies to restore physical, mental, energetic, and spiritual health. Its core therapeutic disciplines encompass plant medicine (medicina vegetal), traditional mental health care, ancestral bodywork, and traditional midwifery. Furthermore, ASOMASHK places a strong emphasis on intergenerational knowledge transfer through ethnobotanical research, participatory community education, preventive health campaigns, and sustainable territorial stewardship. By safeguarding sacred plant medicines and traditional pharmacopeia, the association ensures multi-generational resilience and cultural survival for indigenous communities across the Amazon.