Double sniff Yopo: a metal tube with two nose pieces
Snuff powders such as rapé have long been administered through a tube. In the Amazon that tube is a kuripe of bamboo or wood; this metal version does the same job, only with two ends. It runs up from a single opening and splits halfway into two shorter pipes, so a portion goes into both nostrils in one movement rather than left and right separately.
The piece is made entirely of metal and polished, which keeps powder from clinging to the inner wall and makes cleaning straightforward afterwards. It is small enough to travel in a pouch or a coat pocket. The name points to yopo, the powder made from the seeds of Anadenanthera peregrina, traditionally used as a snuff in the Orinoco basin.
Rapé is administered in two ways: another person blows the powder through a long pipe called a tepi, or you take it yourself with a shorter applicator. This tube belongs to the second group. Because it carries two nose pieces, there is no need to split the portion into halves yourself and one hand stays free.
Use and upkeep
Work over a smooth plate or a sheet of paper so any spilled powder can be swept back up. Rinse the tube with warm water after use, let it dry completely and only then put it away; leftovers cake up and block the pipe. Keep the tube personal rather than passing it around, which is the more hygienic habit.
Matching items at Avalon
Avalon Magic Plants carries the rest of the kit as well: kuripes in bamboo, wood and copper, several kinds of rapé such as Bobinsana, Caapi and Kanna, an agate snuff plate and storage jars with a small spoon. Everything is shipped in discreet packaging.
