ABOUT CROCODILO E PIRANHA
Paje Kissibi Kumu
A well-known shaman and healer
Raimundo, Kissibi Kumu, was born in the Pari Cachoeira region, on the Tiquié River, in São Gabriel da Cachoeira and since 2002 he has lived in the Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS), close to Manaus, where he became a great promoter of the indigenous culture of the Rio Negro. Kumu (as the Dessana shamans are called) became well known for his work as a healer. A great connoisseur of herbs, blessings, and prayers, Raimundo always emphasized the importance of faith in the healing process. “The man up there is the one doing the miracle. He is the one who is healing, not the medicine”. Raimundo was our cultural leader until 2018, when he deceased. His spirit and guidance will be in our hearts forever.
A note From Christian
“I profoundly revere Raimundo Kissibi Kumu, my father-in-law, who accepted me as I was. He prepared my way into the forest, into his family and his tribe. He taught me many things about the forest and life. He died at the beginning of 2018 with 69 years by far too early. I wished I would have spent more time with him to share his wisdom about life. His knowledge about past decades, wildlife, plants, legends of the forest, and spirituality is unforgettable. Thank you, Pae, for all the good memories. I will do my best to carry on your spirit, protecting my family as I promised to you two days before you left the physical world, giving strong roots for a fulfilled life of my family.”
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ABOUT US
Umussy and Christian fell in love with each other at first sight in 2010. They managed to overcome many obstacles like distance, separation, depression, tribal conflicts, desire and much more.
Now after many years they are in love like the first day and have two children. They settled down in a jungle village (Tupe), maintaining an original ritual house (Oca) and are still living their lives beyond borders.
Both have now dedicated their time to the Amazonian Rainforest and founded the Association Crocodilo & Piranha in order to help preserving indigenous culture, wildlife as well as offering education-programs for children in sports and languages.
Together with Wilson and various partners they are supporting the local infrastructure in the areas of energy-, water-supply, waste reduction, sport-events and much more.
We love nature, we love the rainforest, we love animals and together with the local community we can change a small part of the world to be a better and healthier place.
Meet Our Founders
Our LEADERSHIP
Umussy Blankenhorn
Umussy, is a native Amazone who was born and living in the deep Amazonas rainforest since
Umussy was born in Brazil somewhere near the Columbian border – a place where the beauty of nature as well as danger shake hands every day. She grew up in that harsh environment the first 15 years of her life, the family living in the jungle. Her father, Kissibi Kumu, a legendary Shaman, had to travel many days alone through the wilderness to arrive at his workplace in Columbia to sustain his family. When he returned, often after weeks of separation, he supplied his family with food and some money.
Around year 2002 Umussy’s’ clan went to Sao Joao do Tupe, Brazil near Manaus, to settle down and to start a new life, a new future far away from the dark and brutal side of the border. Kissibi Kumu discovered that Umussy has an incredible talent in languages and so he sent here into a language school in Manaus for 2 years and meanwhile Umussy is speaking 6 languages (Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, German and for sure Tukano).
Umussy, is the director/president of the Association Crocodilo & Piranha, a local organization created to help improving the community life, help protecting wildlife, help supporting children’s education. She is leading the association, its projects, and visions. Due to her history and her connectedness to the jungle, its people, and its wildlife, she knows where the problems lie, which measures could help solving those problems and whom to integrate for support.
Umussy, as the successor of Kissibi Kumu, also continues the traditions of her tribe by keeping cultural aspects alive, maintaining the heritance of her father and by continuing the magic ceremonies of Ayahuasca, cultural dance and music.
CHRISTIAN BLANKENHORN
Christian, is a mediator between worlds
In 2010, during a vacation, the German IT-engineer fell in love with Umussy, the daughter of a well-known tribe leader in the Amazon rainforest. At first, the two had for many years a long-distance relationship, now he is living with her and their two children in the Amazonas Rainforest, somewhere in a small jungle-village far away from any comfort of the cities. Only the river leads to that village, no streets.
He has travelled and worked in the entire Europe, parts of Asia, North America, Middle East, and not to forget South America. Middle East, to be precise Saudi Arabia, was his home from 2015 until end of 2020. “Home” in matter of working, living, and earning. After the crisis, end of 2020, he and Umussy decided that now the time has come to life together and using their combined forces to educate their children, protect nature and wildlife and create local projects to support the development of the jungle-village Tupe in a sustainable way.
He became a mediator between two different worlds. His knowledge about technology, about traveling and various cultures are now joining the knowledge and diversity of the Amazonas Jungle. He knows the strengths and the weaknesses of modern-city-life as well as the advantages and problems of the jungle-life.
Aurora
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Aurora, the wife of the diseased Paje Kissibi Kumu, is the heart and soul of the Dessana clan here in Tupe. She is actively supporting the Association Crocodilo & Piranha in countless aspects.
She is a treasury of legends of the forest, she knows the Dessana and Tukana culture in and out, she is experienced in the knowledge of healing plants, agriculture and knows any thinkable indigenous survival technics.
She and Paje Kissibi Kumu have led successfully the entire family through thick and thin, and she is now teaching the newest generation about indigenous culture.
Wilson
Wilson, Brazilian, born in the city of Manaus, Amazonas, known in Capoeiragem as “Salsicha”, started capoeira on 07/30/1996 with Mestre Kk Bonates.
Trenel Salsicha is a member and collaborator of the Matumbé Capoeira School in the city of Manaus, a direct disciple of Mestre Kk Bonates (President and founder of the Matumbé Capoeira International School).
Trenel Salsicha is an educator experienced in acting as a capoeira teacher in public schools in the city of Manaus. Over many years he has been conducting many professional courses, presentations and openings in sporting and cultural events.
Trenel Salsicha has been carrying out a project of extreme importance, a project created in 2007 called “Geronto Capoeira” (Project aimed at the public of the best age) with students between 60 and 90 years old. Currently, the project has the participation of over 120 students.
Trenel Salsicha is currently developing a project in the “Dessana” indigenous tribe, in the “Tupé” community (Capoeira for Kids), approximately 1 hour by boat from the city of Manaus, work aimed at children and adolescents from the local indigenous community, currently has more than 50 students.
