Three generations of Kogi Mamos
From birth the Kogi attune members of their society called mamos ("sun"), for guidance, healing, and leadership. The mamos are tribal priests, highly respected in Kogi society, and are not shamans or curers. To assume this role, Mamos undergo strict training. It begins when selected boys are taken at birth and put in a dark cave until age 9. In the cave, elder mamos and the child's mother care for, feed, train, and teach the child to attune to "Aluna" before the boy enters the outside world.
Through deep concentration, symbolic offerings, and divination, the mamos believe they support the balance of harmony and creativity in the world. It is also in this realm that the essence of agriculture is nurtured: seeds are blessed in Aluna before being planted, to ensure they grow successfully; marriage is blessed to ensure fertility; and ceremonies are offered to the various spirits of the natural world before tasks such as harvest and hut building. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kogi_people
