NII SHINAN - Design Meaning Index

Design index

On this page, you can explore the cultural meaning and visual language behind every NII SHINAN design. Each pattern originates from handwoven Shipibo-Conibo textiles, carefully digitized in our studio to preserve the precision of the original craft.

Printed on canvas, these pieces become refined interior objects, carrying both artistic and cultural value.

Our collaboration is personal, we work directly with the family who founded NII SHINAN, a name that means knowledge from the jungle. Together, we ensure that every creation honors its origin while fitting seamlessly into modern interiors.

(Examples are AI-generated. See product page for accurate details.)

1. Mayá Kené

2. Xao Kené

3. Metax Kené

4. Sanken Kené

5. Xao Kené

6. Petó Kené

7. Metax Kené

8. Mayá Kené

9. Mayá Kené

10. Moatian Kené

Family members

Mayá Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern called Mayá Kené, rooted in an Icaro that honors the individual within the family.

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Light & gratitude

Xao Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern Xao Kené, guided by an Icaro that gives thanks for the light.

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The trees

Metax Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern Metax Kené, based on an Icaro that calls attention to the role of trees in human life. The design is inspired by a song that reminds people to take care of the forest, not as a resource, but as a provider.

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All elements

Sanken Kené

This canvas features the Shipibo pattern Sanken Kené, drawn from an Icaro that expresses the unity of all natural elements. Air, trees, animals, and water as one shared system.

Acceptance

Xao Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern Xao Kené, based on an Icaro traditionally sung to create connection and harmony during social gatherings.

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Forrest & sky

Petó Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern Petó Kené, tied to an Icaro that reflects the relationship between the forest and the sky. The squares in the design represent the trees of the rainforest, while the pattern with the blue and white colors as a whole expresses their connection to the sky with cloud like subliminal elements.

Medicine trees

Metax Kené

This design features the Shipibo pattern Metax Kené, created from an Icaro that honors the trees used in traditional medicine.

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Marriage & family

Mayá Kené

This canvas features the Shipibo pattern Mayá Kené, woven in the spirit of union. It follows an Icaro traditionally sung during marriage ceremonies, a moment where two families come together, each bringing their own lineage, stories, and strength.

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Beautifying

Mayá Kené

This canvas features the Shipibo pattern Mayá Kené, inspired by an Icaro once worn as facial decoration by young Shipibo men and women. The form, often applied to the chin, was a symbol of readiness, a way to signal beauty, confidence, and the openness to step into adulthood or partnership.

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Amazonian rivers

Moatian Kené

This canvas features the Shipibo pattern Moatian Kené, shaped by an Icaro sung during rituals of cleansing and renewal. The flowing lines represent rivers, while the floral forms mark the wisdom carried by women through their connection to nature.

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Xao Kené is a design that expresses gratitude for light, both the physical light of the sun and the symbolic light present in daily life. In Shipibo understanding, the sun is not mythologized but respected as a protective presence, something that sustains and guides. The design also reflects the relationship between sun and moon, often interpreted as a dialogue between masculine and feminine qualities. Rather than opposites, these elements coexist, creating balance through their interaction.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Mayá Kené is centered around the idea of family as a living, expanding structure. The square at the center of the design represents the core family bonds, while the surrounding lines and frequencies symbolize how culture, values, and character ripple outward through each family member. In Shipibo tradition, this pattern reflects the way a family grows, not only through lineage, but through the unique personalities and qualities of each individual. It is a visual expression of continuity, shared roots, and the harmonious expansion of family identity.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Metax Kené is a reminder of the responsibility humans carry towards nature. The design reflects the Shipibo understanding that the environment provides everything essential for life, food, water, air, and shelter, in the sense of a protective home. The pattern serves as a visual call to care for the forest and the surroundings that sustain us. Its structure points out the presence of trees as silent providers, emphasizing respect, gratitude, and the ongoing relationship between people and the living landscape that supports them.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Sanken Kené expresses the Shipibo understanding that all elements of nature work together through a deep, interconnected intelligence. It is a reminder that without the air we breathe, life would not be possible, and that awareness of this dependence should guide how we treat the world around us. The pattern reflects the ongoing communication between natural elements like water, plants, wind, soil, and all living systems. Each part fulfills its role through an inherent wisdom, emphasizing the need to respect what has been created and to live in balance with it.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Xao Kené (Acceptance) is a design that centers on the celebration of acceptance, of oneself, of others, and of the diversity found within a community. In the Shipibo tradition, this pattern is linked to an Icaro that expresses joy and acknowledges those who face difficulties, offering encouragement through shared humanity. The design reflects the idea that acceptance is not passive, but an active and uplifting force. It honors the value of embracing differences and recognizes the strength that comes from unity and mutual respect.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Petó Kené represents the relationship between the forest and the sky. The repeating squares symbolize the presence of trees and the wider natural world, while the sun–moon symbolism woven into the pattern expresses harmony between day and night. The flowing lines that resemble clouds and rivers refer to the cycle of water, the movement of rain, rivers, and mist that connects the rainforest to the sky above. The design reflects the Shipibo understanding that these elements exist in constant dialogue, forming a balanced system that sustains life.

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Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Impression:
Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
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Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Impression:
Bedroom
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Home Office
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Dining Room
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Hotel Room
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Hallway
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Waiting Room
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Store Boutique
Impression:
Kitchen
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Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
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Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Impression:
Bedroom
Impression:
Home Office
Impression:
Dining Room
Impression
Hotel Room
Impression:
Hallway
Impression:
Waiting Room
Impression:
Store Boutique
Impression:
Kitchen
Impression:
Living Room
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Hotel / Lobby / Reception
Impression:
Office Interior
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Restaurant / Café

Moatian Kené represents the rivers of the Amazon, shown through the many channels woven into the design. The pattern also includes flower-bearing trees that appear in the associated Icaro and carry a connection to the traditional Shipibo women who sing it. According to Shipibo understanding, the plants teach the women that this pattern moves like a river when sung, a flow that symbolizes purification through water. The design reflects both the physical rivers of the rainforest and the cleansing, guiding motion they represent within the community.