After the head was severed , they peeled the skin off the face, turn it inside out and scraped it. Believing that violent death unleashed a soul bent on revenge, the Suars carefully sewed up the lips and eyelids to trap and paralyze the spirit.

The skull and brain were sacrificed  to the spirit of the anaconda while the leftovers simmered in a pot of berry-cured water. After less than 2 hours, the head would  shrink to about a third of its size. Heat pebbles or hot sand were introduced through the neck and the head was shaken until the skin became like leather.

Then, the face is rubbed with charcoal and berries to keep it moisturized, so it won’t crack. After one night of smoking over a fire, the hair is carrefully trimed and the head is ready for the celebration.