Chonta Staffs & Wands

Chonta staffs and wands are sacred ritual staffs traditionally used in the shamanic practices of the Andes, particularly among Quechua, and often appear in mestizo curanderismo traditions of Peru.

What is chonta?

Chonta staffs are made from the wood of the chonta palm (also known as black palm, chontaquiro, Astrocaryum chambira, or Astrocaryum huicungo, depending on the region). The wood of the chonta palm is incredibly dense, dark, and durable, prized for its resilience both physically and spiritually. Shamans and healers craft their staffs from this wood because it holds a powerful symbolic resonance with strength, endurance, and protection. The staff is typically polished smooth but retains its weight and natural character, becoming a deeply personal ritual tool.

What’s their purpose?

The chonta staff is used as a power object during Andean shamanic practices. It is commonly employed in ceremonies involving san pedro (wachuma) and other sacred plant medicines, as well as in rituals of healing, spirit invocation, soul retrieval, and energetic cleansing. The staff acts as a conduit of spiritual energy, a protector for the practitioner, and a bridge between the physical and spirit realms. It helps the shaman direct healing forces, anchor their presence while traveling in altered states, and ward off malevolent energies that may be drawn to the ritual space.

What’s their symbolism?

The chonta staff represents spiritual authority, groundedness, and the capacity to withstand the trials of the path. The chonta palm’s toughness mirrors the strength required of a shaman who must journey through darkness to retrieve healing and wisdom. Receiving or crafting a chonta staff is often an important part of shamanic initiation; it signifies readiness to act as an intermediary between worlds. Many chonta staffs are adorned with personal elements, carvings, feathers, stones, or symbolic wrappings, which reflect the practitioner’s unique spiritual allies and lineage. The staff thus becomes an outward sign of earned power and deep responsibility.

How are they used?

In ceremony, the chonta staff is used to tap the ground rhythmically to summon or stabilize spiritual forces, and employed to clear or direct energy within the ritual space. It may be traced through the air or over a person’s body to cut through stagnant energy, invite healing, or seal protection. The staff is not waved or brandished lightly; every movement is deliberate and charged with meaning. In the hands of an initiated shaman, it becomes a true extension of their will and spiritual presence.

A chonta staff is not just a stick or walking aid, it is a deeply charged ritual tool that embodies protection, lineage, and the shaman’s ability to move between realms.