Tsunki

water-spirit · Ecuador · South America

Tsunki is the primordial water spirit of the Shuar and Achuar (Jivaroan peoples, Ecuador/Peru). Appears as a beautiful woman or anaconda near remote waterfalls. Source of all shamanic power (tsentsak); snip grants crystal tsentsak to initiates. Features in myths 'The Tsunki and the Hunter' and 'Tsunki and the Chased Woman'. Documented by Perruchon (2003), Whitten (2008), Beyer (2009).

Open in the interactive archive →