MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

iXã is a call to summon the God within us through ancestral tools & authentic expression.

LOCATION

Serra Grande, Bahia is a world that exists in itself – in a magical and unique dimension. The place where the sky touches the earth, a meeting point between the ocean and river waters. A pristine tropical hideaway edged by secluded beaches and lush rainforest, Serra Grande is home to some of the most beautiful beaches and waterfalls in Brazil. Just an hour drive from the city of Ilhéus, nestled on Bahia’s Cacao Coast.

“The sources of all life are called Orixas. Through their dance, the Orixas move the Universe. We humans, descendants and particles of these Gods, come back to the consciousness of our origin and get aligned with our nature by dancing and celebrating them. Through movement, dance, ecstasy, we find the Gods within us and lose ourselves inside the Gods.” - Jahlyn Karuna

KENEWMA YAWANAWA

Acre, Brazil, Mutum Village

A Visionary Female Leader & Daughter of first female Chief of Mutum. Kenewma Yawanawa’s lineage runs deep, weaving seven Amazonian tribes, four of which don’t exist anymore. Her mission is to call upon the wisdom of the forest and connect all peoples to the force of the Amazon. She is an advocate for female leadership and continues to receive guidance from her mother, Neiweni (Chief of Mutum).

“My mother was the first woman to lead our people. That duty is a gift that comes from God. You become father and mother of your people. My aunt was the first woman pajé (spiritual leader) of my village and my youngest aunt was the first to leave our village to study and graduate university. It always was a burden to carry so much family expectations and responsibilities, Mainly as a teenager. Somehow, I had the duty to take on all of all the things the women in my family had achieved. I only began to understand it as a blessing when I was initiated as a pajé”

Vera Passos

Vera Passos is a Brazilian dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work embodies the living wisdom of Afro-Brazilian ancestral movement traditions. Rooted in the cultural heartbeat of Salvador, Bahia, her dance is a profound expression of memory, ritual, embodiment, and spiritual connection through the body. With decades of experience in companies such as Balé Folclórico da Bahia and Viver Brasil, Vera has become a respected guardian and transmitter of ancestral knowledge through movement.

Since 2002, she has taught the Silvestre Technique — a somatic and contemporary Afro-diasporic movement practice created by Rosângela Silvestre that weaves together sacred gesture, organic movement, breath, rhythm, and the intelligence of the body. Her work bridges Afro-Brazilian dance, modern dance, classical ballet, and jazz into a deeply expressive and transformative practice that honors both tradition and personal liberation.

Through international teaching and performance across Brazil, Europe, and the United States, Vera Passos continues to inspire dancers and communities to reconnect with ancestry, presence, and the healing power of embodied movement.

Amy Secada

New York City, USA

One of the leading holistic dance educators in the world presenting workshops and performances in over 20 countries. Secada is a daughter of the Monacan Indian Nation, dedicated to the evolution of somatic dance through the revival and remembrance of intention, ritual and ancestral movement. Her teaching methodology explores the physical, mental, spiritual and energetic elements of the intrinsic dance experience. Secada has performed with artists such as Madonna, Wyclef, Fergie and choreographed for America's Best Dance Crew. Secada currently lives in Brazil with her daughter Ixã continuing to dedicate her life to keeping the sacred ritual of dance alive, transcendent and evolving.

Candomblé High Priestess Rita

Itacaré, Bahia

Mãe Rita, Yalorixá and guardian of the sacred Candomblé tradition, was initiated into the religion through her ancestral lineage, inheriting the role of High Priestess and spiritual successor within the African sacred traditions of Brazil. Rooted in the living wisdom of the Yoruban cosmology, she has devoted her life to preserving and transmitting the sacred knowledge of the Orixás through ritual dance, prayer, song, and community devotion.

Her embodied connection to Indigenous and African ancestral rites is expressed through the powerful presence of her movement, the resonance of her voice, and the folkloric stories passed down through generations. Beyond the sacred ceremonies of her Terreiro de Candomblé in Itacaré, Bahia, Mãe Rita also honors these traditions through cultural expressions such as samba de roda, carrying the spirit of ancestry into everyday life.

Recognized internationally for her wisdom and service, she has participated in conferences, lectures, and educational programs throughout Brazil, sharing the depth of Afro-Indigenous spiritual traditions with students, artists, and communities around the world. It is an honor to welcome Mãe Rita to the IXÃ experience, where her presence offers guidance, healing, and a profound connection to ancestral memory.

Biruani Siriani Huni Kuin

Aldeia Novo Futuro, Acre , Brazilian Amazon

Biruani Siriani will guide us through various traditional Huni Kuin ceremonies, spiritual cleansing rituals and cultural lectures from a rare feminine perspective. A true power house of a woman with a passion, voice and energy that will shake your soul. The niece of Chief Ninawa Pai Da Mata, Biruani is a respected leader and medicine woman of her clan. She has traveled the world sharing her culture, rituals and traditions. It is a true honor to share this intimate and up close experience with her and her family.

Yeke Huni Kuin

Aldeia Humaitá, Acre, Brazilian Amazon

Yeke is a sought after healer and pajé (Shaman) of her village, Humatiá. She is the sister of famed Huni Kuin leader Ninawa Pai Da Mata. She will guide us through various traditional Huni Kuin ceremonies, spiritual cleansing rituals and cultural lectures from a rare and much needed feminine perspective. A true pillar of strength, wisdom and a seasoned dimensional weaver.

REVIEWS

RETREAT DETAILS

AIRPORT The nearest airport is Ilheus/Bahia-Jorge Amado Airport. AIRPORT SHUTTLE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTES FLYING INTO IOS AIRPORT. If you chose to fly into Salvador (SSA) there will be an extra charge for shuttle services.

ACCOMMODATIONS For comfort and tranquility all rooms include linens, bath towels, mosquito net, hot water, WiFi balconies and hammocks. All rooms are beach front surrounded by lush tropical nature and designed with low environmental impact in mind. Unless private accommodations are requested, your bungalow will be shared with another participant of same gender. There will be an extra fee for private accommodations, please inquire.

FOOD 3 daily farm to table vegan friendly meals are included with your retreat package.

TRANSPORTATION iXã will provide group transportation to and from airport as well as all external group activities. Car rental is also available at all airports if you prefer.

• Access to all workshops and group activities

• Shared Beach Front Bungalow Accommodations (private bungalow available by request only)

• 3 x Daily Farm to Table Meals

• Nature immersions to private beaches and waterfalls

• Transportation to all extracurricular activities outside of Retreat Center

• Candomblé Energetic Cleansing Herbal Baths

• Rapé Circle, Lectures and Ceremonies Lead by Huni Kuin & Yawanawa Indigenous peoples

• Group Shuttle Bus transportation from IOS Airport to Retreat Center (from SSA airport is extra fee, please inquire)

• Introduction to local Afro Indigenous herbalism

* AIRBNB OR OTHER OFF SITE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE, BUT NOT ENCOURAGED.***

EXTRA EXPERIENCES & ACTIVITIES

In addition to all event activities you will be able to experience diverse additional activities/offerings by our Guides.

• Integrative Counseling

• Buzios/Shell Life Reading w/ Mainha De Oxum (donation based)

• Local Artesian Markets

• Afro Brazilian Samba/ House Dance Parties

• Access to Indigenous Crafts sold directly by Indigenous peoples and/or from original Indigenous Artists

• Holistic Therapies: Massages & Aromatherapy available upon request

• Intimate 1x1 Healing Session with the Huni Kuin and/or High Priestess

• Personalize Yoruban Offerings Guidance