For the character in Greek mythology see Icarus.
Icaros are medicine songs, used as part of the toolkit of Shamans and Curanderos in the Peruvian Amazon Basin.[1]
The doctor spirits teach the shamans their icaros. Icaros are expressed in the form of song and are a major system of delivery of the shamans’ spiritual energy. They are used to bring on mareación (the visionary effects of the Ayahuasca), take mareación away, call in different plant spirits, call in the spirits of others or the deceased, take away dark spirits and dark energies, and manage the ceremony.
Icaros are either whistled or sung, and can be expressed in any language. The shamans generally sing in a spirit dialect that is a mixture of their native language (i.e. Quechua, Shipibo-Conibo, Asháninka, etc.), Spanish, and different evocative sounds. Icaros represent a system of communication between the shaman and the spirits, and the shaman and the participants in the ceremony. The shamans believe that every living thing has an icaro and that these icaros can be learned.
The singing of icaros is sometimes accompanied by the Chakapa, shacapa, a leaf rattle that is used to carry the rhythm of the ceremony. The shaman will use his shacapa to direct energy and the icaros, as well as send away dark or unwanted energies. Each icaro is used to contact a different spirit, for use of healing.
The following example is the beginning of an icaro that is used by Peruvian cuanderos to prepare the bottle of Ayahuasca for ceremony. It sets the intent of the ceremony for the Ayahuasca and the participants.
The following Icaro is written initially in Spanish, with the lines English translation immediately following.
Cielo cielo Ayahuascacitoini
Cielo cielo Ayahuascacitoini
Troncoimantacitoini Papa Tuacitoini
Ayudangichoini curangichoini cuerpocitoini
Enderesangichioni sentiditoini
Enderesangichioni shungonicitoini
Enderesangichioni todas todas energias cuerpocitoini
Tranquilito sentiditoini no turbachiwongichoini
Cushi cushi wayra wayra cuerpocitoini
Todo todo mal espiritocitoini que venga contra de nosotroscitoini chaparingi chapamongi
Dragon rojo mama aguilitaini
Boa negra sacha mama 500 metros de largaini llevaringi al infinito del mundo
Nunca nunca pudiendo volveringi
Nunca nunca pudiendo dominarcitoini cuerpocitoini
Cielo cielo Ayahuascacitoini
Cielo cielo Ayahuascacitoini
Enseñangichoini todas classes de icaro medicina
Toda toda medicina sabiduría divinaini
Dios Dios Jesús Jesús, El Espíritu Santo, La Virgen María,
Arcángel Miguel, Oriel, Gabriel, Rafaelcitoini
Todos Ángeles Celestiales Cuidaringi cuidamongi cuerpocitoini
Cielo cielo Ayahuascacitoini
Fuerte fuerte Mareacíoncitoini
Suenaringi suenamongi mareacióncitoini
Suenaringi suenamongi mareacióncitoini
Fuerte fuerte Mareacióncitoini
Claro claro visioncitoini
Claro claro ñaguecito
Abre abre visioncitoini
Despejado cuerpocito
Despejado mundo enteritoini
Alumbrangichoini universo infinitocitoini
Claro claro ñaguecito
In Evgenia Fotiou's PhD dissertation "From Medicine Men to Day Trippers: Shamanic Tourism in Iquitos, Peru", the word cielo is not translated as it is a type of the potion.