How an Onaya Dreams: A Healer's Affinal Relationship With Plants
Anthropology of Consciousness August 11, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1111/anoc.70008 via OpenAlex
Summary
Healers of the Shipibo, known as onayas, establish relationships with plant spirits through dreams interpreted during a training process called samá. This study explores how onayas interpret these dreams in relation to their cosmology and the unique relationships they form with each plant spirit. The findings highlight the diverse ways in which onayas personalize plant spirits, revealing a complex understanding of these relationships grounded in their cultural beliefs.
Study at a glance
| Population | Healers of the Shipibo community in Eastern Peru |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Onayas build personalized relationships with plant spirits by interpreting dreams seen during samá, reflecting their cosmological beliefs. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Healers of the Shipibo, known as onayas , reside in Eastern Peru and build relationships with plant spirits through dreams seen during a training process called samá . Since they comprehend the process of building relationships with plant spirits by interpreting their dreams, dream interpretation serves as the medium through which the onayas learn how to build relationships with plant spirits, ultimately acquiring the healing capacity to aid others. Focusing on this role of dreams, this study connects an onaya 's interpretations of dreams seen during samá to Shipibo cosmology, and examines the onaya –plant spirit relationship formed in dreams through the lens of their cosmological beliefs. The analysis reveals a wide variety of relationships in which the onayas personalize each plant spirit while differentiating its unique representations.