Cool Tobacco, Sweet Coca
Teachings of an Indian Sage from the Colombian Amazon

Cool Tobacco, Sweet Coca is a first-hand account by Hipolito Cadre, an Indian healer from the Colombian Amazon. Translated from the Uitoto language and commented on by the anthropologist Juan Alvaro Echeverri, it contains a selection of Kinerai's narratives, transcribed from numerous tape-recordings, presented in both Uitoto and English. In order to convey the spirit and power of his words, Kinerai's teachings have been rendered in a highly poetic style. He describes how we were formed by the "Word of tobacco and coca", the Word of life, and talks of the Planter of the True Seed, the Word of strength, the Word on discipline, the Invocation for the pregnant mother, the tasks of the mother and the father, and the care of children. He also relates traditional narratives, including the Dreams of Abundance and the story of the giant armadillo. The Spanish-language edition of this book was awarded the National Prize for Indian Literature in Colombia in 1993. Published in association with the COAMA Programme, Colombia and The Gaia Foundation, London.

Hipolito Candre

Kinerai is the name, in Uitoto language, of Hipolito Candre. He is of the Okaina race but has lived most of his life among speakers of Uitoto. He is an Indian healer from the Colombian Amazon and his teachings recounted in this book, have been translated by Juan Alvaro Echeverri.