Kenewma Yawanawá

A descendant of strong leaders, Kenewma is the daughter of Chief Biraci Nixiwaka and Chief Naiweni Mariazinha, the first female leader of the Yawanawá. She was the first youth and third woman in Yawanawá history to enter the powerful Muka diet, an intense spiritual study. Deeply committed to the well-being of her people, she supports her village while raising her young family in Bahia, Brazil, where she and her husband, Jordão de Souza, are building Guananshe Sanctuary, a retreat center merging indigenous wisdom with scientific research. A talented artist known for her painted textiles and powerful voice, Kenewma embodies the strength, creativity, and devotion of her lineage.