Elka was born to the tribe Wai Wai in the Amazonian jungles of South America around 1933. The wai wai live along the border of Brazil and Guyana. His father died shortly after his birth, and he was sold to his uncle for 1 otter skin and 5 feathered arrows.
He was raised in the traditional Wai Wai way. At 15, he underwent the stinging ants test of courage and resolve; standing with belts of stinging ants wrapped around his legs. He feared and admired the all-powerful witchdoctor who could curse and heal.
He grew to be such a respected young man that before the age of 20, he was recognized as a Shaman. Elka went to live with Mafolio, the local witchdoctor. He was convinced that the spirits, or kworokyam, were calling him to become a witchdoctor.
Soon, he could heal the sick. He was considered kind and wise, and was made the chief of the Wai Wai.
The Wai Wai were a fearful people. They feared the Spirits of the jungles. They feared the neighboring tribes and their constant threat of war. Their traditions of spirit dances and nature worship could only appease the spirits to a certain extent. They respected and feared their ancesteral spirits. And, they feared what would happen to them after death.
In the 1940's, missionaries showed up trying to tell the Wai Wai about a new God, Jesus. Elka would greet them with a smile. But, he was not happy to see them. He would poison their drinks or bludgeon them to death. For a time, the "white men" were not seen in their territory. Then, news came of more "white men" coming their way. The Wai Wai feared that they were murderers coming for revenge.
Neil and Bob Hawkins came to the Wai Wai in 1948. They were kind men who brought gifts. Slowly, they learned the language of the Wai Wai.
They told of God, the Creator, who had made the world and all the people in it. They told of His Son, Jesus, who had died to take away the "badness". The Wai Wai had never heard of this kind of love.
Elka thought about this Jesus. Jesus was against the spirits that Elka served. What would happen to Elka if he followed Jesus? He thought he might die.
Elka had taken a wife and she was about to give birth. He wanted a baby boy. In the Wai Wai, an unwanted child could be killed. What if his wife had a little girl? Would he kill her? He knew that Jesus wouldn't want him to kill his daughter.
When his wife delivered a daughter, Elka had a choice to make. He was going to kill this girl child, but an unseen voice told him it was wrong. He picked up the little girl, handed her to his wife, and said, "We will save the child."
He was afraid of the spirits, but he wasn't afraid of Jesus. "This is Elka. I am deciding to follow Jesus." Elka said as he looked up into the sky, "You help me to forsake the spirits and get rid of my charms. That is all."
The people of the village warned Elka that he would die in three days if he turned his back on the spirits. They worried that he would no longer be able to heal their sicknesses. They watched as he threw his witchdoctor charms into the river and began praying to Clisusu, Jesus. When he didn't die, he told his village, "Clisusu is stronger than Kworokyam."
Around 1955, Elka sat down with Bob and Neil as they read God's papers, the Bible. They said that they wanted to translate them into the Wai Wai language. As Elka helped the Hawkins brothers translate the Bible, he learned what it was that God wanted from him.
The people of the village noticed that he had changed. He no longer beat his wife, or drank liquor. He was kind to children other than his own. And, he started taking in orphan babies. His example was watched and then followed by others in his tribe.
Bob Hawkins, his wife, and Neil started a mission in the jungles of Guyana. They named it "Konashen", Place of God. Slowly, a church began to form. He and other men from his village began going to weekly Bible lessons, and learning the songs of the Clisusu. They were learning new things like mercy, forgiveness, and patience.
They stopped stealing wives, and killing babies. They started to love their wives and help them with the hard chores. Their numbers began to grow. The men didn't want to cut off their pony tails, but decided that it was it was a small sacrifice for the love of Jesus.
The Wai Wai learned about God's laws for marriage, morality, and conduct. They selected men who would be Elders of their village- Melsha, Kirifaka, Mawasha, , Yakuta, and Elka. Sunday became a day of worship. And, the community of Wai Wai changed from one of superstition to one of belief.
When one of the Hawkins brothers lost their voice, Elka said that he would preach. He brought the people a message on Daniel. His ability to preach and teach God's papers was evident. Soon, he felt the burden to share Jesus with their neighboring tribes.
Elka told his people, "Jesus came far; so, let us go far. He died for us; we haven't yet died for Him."
At first, they visited only the tribes that were similar to theirs. The Wai Wai that lived on the across the high mountains were the first to be preached to. But, in time, they began to travel to tribes that they feared and hated before.
Elka, himself, travelled to some of these tribes. He would send back letters telling of his experiences and encouraging his people in the faith. When Elka returned home he was full of stories of strange tribes with customs so different from their own.m
The gospel of Christ turned a witchdoctor into a missionary. It turned killing raids into prayer meetings. The love of Christ grew a once dying tribe into a mission center. The Kaan Karitan, the Holy Scriptures in the Wai Wai language, is changing lives all across the remote jungles of Brazil.
It is said that "by 1962, the Wai Wai had gone on as many mission trips in as many different directions as a man had fingers and toes."
I can't find when or where he died, though he was alive in 1975. He is also mentioned as Ewka in different publications.
For more information, you can read or buy the book Christ's Witchdoctor by Homer E. Dowdy.
