“The first time I stayed for 42-43 days there. Originally I should have stayed for two weeks, but Sapain, the spiritual father had invited me to his house and thus six seven weeks passed. It was extremely important to know this man, to be there without speaking any known language, only the language of the soul and the music. I tell you one story: One day, early in the morning, around five o’clock, Sapain came, woke me up and signaled to follow him. We went half an hour in order to arrive at the spot that they call the Gate to the Amazon. We entered the rain forest, plunged into a breath taking dampness between enormous trees. We remained in complete silence fore some minutes. My first thought was that he wanted to make me understand the sounds of nature. Only years later I understood that Sapain made me understand something very precious, he told me that what I saw was life itself, the sound, the song and that it was communicating itself to other civilizations. We walked through the rain forest without saying one word. Towards the end of this experience, Sapain gave me a flute named Yakui/Jacui, about one meter and twenty centimeters long. This flute represents the spiritual voice and everybody knows that it is like this...“

EGBERTO GISMONTI about the meeting with the tribe of Yawaiapitì, at the high Xingù, and mainly with his spiritual leader Sapain

Interview realized by Peppe Consolmagno "Chitarre" n.132 - March 1997