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He also contributed to the establishment of Culture, transmitting basic knowledge to humans, such as cultivation of manioc, production of flutes and music. Thus, as an Asuriní man explained: "everything that was invented by Indians was taught by Mahira."

At the time of origins, Mahira lived in the village with the Asuriní. There he had a wife and a daughter. His daughter never succeeded in remaining married for long since Mahira became infuriated with his sons-in-law and, smoking his tawari, transformed them into animals. Such behaviour ended up forcing Mahira to move away from the village, since the humans became extremely angry with him.

Finally, the Asuriní started to plan to kill Mahira and he decided to return to the sky: "There was an enormous storm, strong winds and rain, and he was lifted up. He tried to hold onto a tree stump to prevent himself rising, then another, until finally the wind caught hold of him. He then let go of his arm and he was carried away." It was after Mahira's return to the heavens that the first sicknesses appeared among humans; previously no-one had become ill and there were no shamans.

Today, Mahira and his wife live in the sky, in a place called Tapana. This is also the same place where the dead go: "whoever dies builds another house there, people say there are many. Whites also go there. There every caboclo who died also lives." According to the Asuriní, the place where Mahira dwells also has a sky, sun and moon: "it has everything that we have here. There are game animals above, Mahira hunts. There are many people there above, swiddens too, it has everything."

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The Asuriní conceive the supernatural world to be divided into two independent spheres: that of Mahira and that of Sawara (the Jaguar-spirit). Mahira's domain relates to the cycle of life and death, the biological reproduction of humans: it is associated with the sky and with women - the only people on the Earth who maintain a relationship with Mahira, through sexual acts taking place in dreams. The sphere of Sawara relates to shamanism and the belief in the possibility of the rebirth of shamans; it is associated with the forest and the male universe.

Shamanic activity among the Asuriní is fairly intense and has a great deal of importance. For a man to become a shaman it is necessary for him to traverse a path filled with dangers in his dreams until he reaches Sawara, the Jaguar-spirit. It is by contacting Sawara that he will receive the Karowara and thus the power to cure sickness.

However, for this dream to become concrete the apprentice must undergo a lengthy process enabling him to deal with the supernatural forces and improve his knowledge concerning myths and music. The core phase of this apprenticeship is the tobacco festivals, where the novices are brought into contact with the Karowara. These rituals also contain moments dedicated to learning the mythic histories and songs, recited and sung by the shaman. This procedure complements a process informally started in each individual's house, where it is possible to hear parents and grandparents telling "stories of the ancient past".

The tobacco festivals are co-ordinated by a shaman. It is he who decides the moment for them to be performed, very often in response to a request from another man wishing to dance. According to the Asuriní, the shaman is concerned to ensure that the men dance from time to time so "not to forget."

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Asuriní aetiology distinguishes, then, two basic categories of sickness. On one hand, those that result from contact with the Supernatural (the Karowara sicknesses) and on the other hand all the other known diseases. Included in this second class are those classified as "White/Christian sicknesses" (influenza, measles, pneumonia, chicken pox, etc.), which should be treated in the FUNAI infirmary or the hospital in the city of Tucuruí. When the shaman diagnoses a disease in this subcategory, he recommends that the patient seeks out the nurse, who in fact "only really know how to cure this type of sickness."

Figuring alongside the 'White illnesses' in this second category are afflictions cured with medicinal plants. These diseases are usually diagnosed and treated within the family setting by the sick person him or herself (when an adult) or by a close kinsperson. The use of such plants is fairly widespread, although older people have accumulated more knowledge in this area.

The Asuriní cite recipes for curing a large variety of illnesses, such as: malaria, fevers, toothaches, headaches, tocandira ant wounds, worms, snake bites, dysentery, coughing, spider bites, cuts, wounds, earaches and throat sores. The method of employing the plants is also varied: leaves, stems or the liquid extracted from the plant may all be used. The plants may be applied directly on the body where the pain is located. Otherwise, a bath is prepared with the leaves, or the plant is cooked in water for the patient to ingest the liquid.

It is common for sick people to resort to these home-made remedies before seeking the shaman's help. If the affliction is not cured by this treatment, the family concludes it may be a Karowara sickness and resorts to the shaman for a diagnosis; this is fairly usual in the case of headaches and fevers. On the other hand, the use of medicinal plants does not eliminate the simultaneous use of remedies supplied by FUNAI, especially if the sick person is a child.

The Karowara are an important supernatural force circling between humans and supernatural beings, through actions involving co-operation or aggression. The Karowara are equally a source of power for shamans (who deliberately contain them inside their bodies) and the cause of sickness.

In the latter case, the Karowara are projected into humans by the Takwitimasa, a category of supernatural beings dwelling in the forest. One reason mentioned for this aggressive procedure of the Takwitimasa against humans concerns the latter's aggression against animals. Thus, the Takwitimasa are said to throw Karowara at humans when the latter mistreat animals.

Shamans have the power to remove the Karowara inserted by the Takwitimasa into humans, as well as the ability to place them inside their own human bodies during the process of training a shaman.

As mentioned above, the acquisition of this power depends on a third form of receiving Karowara via the Jaguar-spirit (Sawara). At the same time, it is the relationship with this spirit which will confer the man with the potential for resurrection.
The Asuriní believe that if the shaman's body is buried in compliance with particular procedures, whose execution falls to the responsibility of women, he will be resuscitated. Rebirth is the ideal fate for men.

This possibility does not apply to women: at death they must go to Tapana, where Mahira is found. Female existence obeys, then, a cyclical movement that starts and finishes with Mahira.