If you arrived at this page it is because you want to discover a habit that has been gaining strength in Brazil after many years of weakening. Here you will find out all the details of what it is, where it comes from, and the benefits and harms of Rapé Powder.
Many people don’t know and perhaps have never heard of what Rapé is Sananga, but in a very short time since the 90s the habit of using snuff powder has resurfaced in Brazil and since then it has been gaining strength.
What is Snuff Powder?
Snuff is nothing more than a powder of dried and macerated roots, leaves of specific plants and in some types it may or may not also contain macerated tobacco leaves, other plants are also added, such as cumaru-de-cheiro and imburana seeds , clove , fennel , cinnamon , among others. Snuff is an Indigenous invention that is now used all over the world.
How did Rapé come about?
Many years ago, several indigenous populations throughout Brazil used ground tobacco as snuff. These tobacco leaves were macerated and ground using a hand pestle, very similar to the pestles we have in our kitchens today to macerate garlic for seasoning. The pestle was made from a wood called caviúna , where it also acquired the delicate aroma of the wood. The resulting tobacco was then hermetically stored in ornate bone jars or tubes to preserve its flavor for later consumption.
But what is Rapé Powder?
Rapé was a type of “medicine” for various ailments such as respiratory illnesses, very common in humid environments such as the Brazilian jungles. Even today, some Brazilian indigenous tribes have traditionally produced their snuff in the same way for thousands of years. Snuff is considered therapeutic, and some ethnicities also prepare it with entheogens such as paricá seeds . However, indigenous snuff is only for non-ritual consumption, and each ethnic group has its own recipes. The Kaxinawá (hunikui) of Acre prepare it with half a portion of tobacco and half a portion of selected wood ash among other roots found in the region. They consume snuff with large straight-shaped straws called tipí and V-shaped straws called kuripe that allow self-application, as in this case they do not inhale, but are “blown” by a partner.
Is snuff powder bad for your health?
It is known that it does when snuff contains unknown substances. However, several brands, such as Guarany (MG), today produce snuff powder still respecting the centuries-old recipe of indigenous Brazilians. Even so, the use of snuff can be considered harmful to health if consumed in excess, like any tobacco product. On the other hand, in some cases of respiratory diseases such as rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis or asthma, it can be used to minimize the effects of difficulty breathing (stuffy nose or nasal congestion) but it can never be used as a cure for these illnesses. As many say, snuff is not addictive. Even snuffs that contain tobacco in their original recipe. This is because the amount of tobacco in snuff is around 30% of the total, and when you inhale the powder correctly you will inhale less than 0.04 grams of the powder, making the amount of tobacco almost nothing.
And which Snuff Powder does not contain tobacco?
In our store we have different flavors of snuff powder. We work with the Guarany and Diamante brands. If you want to know what types and flavors of snuff we have available, just click here and you will be directed to the page to choose yours. We have roots snuff such as Cacitral , Imburana (without tobacco), Clove and Cinnamon , Mentolado , Chocolate , and Rapé Real (Traditional) among others.
How to use Snuff Powder?
Basically through inhalation (breathing in the dust). The most common way to use snuff powder nowadays is by placing a small amount of powder in the palm of your hand. As long as it is dry and clean. With your thumb and index finger forming a kind of tweezers, take a small amount (about half the amount of powder initially added in the palm of your hand. Then place the powder in one of the nostrils (right or left) with the other covered with the index finger of the other hand. Suck it in forcefully, causing the powder to enter the nostril and then do the same with the other side of the nostril.
Now that you know what it is, how it is used and the benefits of snuff powder, take a look at our snuff powder catalogue.