The Mariwin Spirit (PRINT DROP 001)
The Mariwin Spirit (PRINT DROP 001)
‘The Mariwin Spirit’
The Ancestral Spirit is covered in a mud and soot mixture to blackout his entire body and adorned with various jungle ferns. His clay mask is also hand-made and decorated with traditional piercings of the Matis, violá, an Amazonian spirit.
The spirit carries stalks of Palm and uses them to lash the Matis, both young, old, and even pregnant. I've been told they sometimes even whip plants to help spur growth for a plentiful harvest. The Matis believe it takes a mentally and physically strong person to survive and thrive in the harsh conditions of the Amazon. Each stalk used once, whether it breaks or not, often leaves one hell of a mark on the skin.
I watched the children cry out in horror as they first saw the Mariwin spirit. This spirit is associated with pain, so they know what's coming. However, once they've been whipped, their tears quickly dried as they munched on piranha and watched the adults, myself included, partake in the ritual. And I can confidently say it hurt like a sonofabitch. The second lashing took my breath away, like dunking your chest under frigid cold water. It took the air from my lungs and sent a shockwave throughout my body.