jaguarete ka a

In this work, the jaguareté, the majestic feline that inhabits the forests of Paraguay, appears not as a feared beast but as an ancestral protector. Its powerful body and steady gaze guard a sacred plant: the jaguareté ka’a, also known as Stevia rebaudiana, used since time immemorial by the Guaraní peoples for its medicinal properties and natural sweetness.

The bond between the jaguareté and the jaguareté ka’a is not accidental. They share a name, a territory, and a history threatened by deforestation, industrial agriculture, and the loss of traditional knowledge. The painting symbolizes this relationship of mutual protection: just as the forest provides the jaguareté with shelter and nourishment, the jaguareté protects its balance, acting as a guardian spirit of the ecosystem.

In times of climate crisis and rampant extractivism, this image invites us to rethink our relationship with nature not as domination, but as reciprocity. The jaguareté, with its imposing presence, reminds us that to preserve medicinal plants is also to preserve culture, language, and life itself.