Rapé Samauma

Samauma, the tree of life

The Samauma tree is seen as the Mother of all trees, the Queen of the Forest. It stands out among all the other trees and gives them shade. It has a great legend and spiritual tradition, and has always been present in local rituals and myths. It symbolizes the intelligence of life, and the tree of life.

The natives of the Amazon believe that it has magical powers with which it protects the inhabitants of the forest. It is also commonly known as the “tree of life” and the “stairway to heaven”, which establishes a connection between heaven and earth.

It is a tree that reaches gigantic heights, the largest in the Amazon, and the second largest after the giant Sequoias of California.

Its root is incredibly deep, reaching the water table and extracting water from where no other tree reaches, redistributing it to the surface and playing a central role in the forest ecosystem.

The Samaúma absorbs thousands of liters of water during the wet season, and in the dry season it returns the water and protects its surroundings from drought; in fact, the trees and plants around a Samaúma flower more, bear more fruit and grow larger.

Normally two Samaumas are not found together, but are distant, as if each one looked after an area.

Flying over the jungle, the Samaúmas stand out above the rest of the trees, opening their canopy above the jungle roof. They are like lighthouses in a green ocean, and natives and explorers have them as reference points to orient themselves.

Properties of Samauma

Among the medicinal properties of Samauma is its diuretic function. In the Amazon it is widely used to treat abdominal swelling. According to the natives, its bark is a powerful revitalizer of female fertility. It is also used to help with childbirth.