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In a remarkable story of serendipity, this unusual product made its way into the home of a former ad executive with more than a decade of experience in the beauty business. A relative from Honduras visited Denis Simioni, leaving behind a baby food jar filled with an unusual brown paste. It sat untouched on a shelf for two years.
One day he decided to give it a try – he was truly amazed by the results and couldn’t believe the shine or condition that had come from the little jar. Denis immediately set out to learn all he could about this natural oil – starting with where it came from.
He discovered that the unique paste was purchased from an Indian who came down from the mountains once a month to sell it on the street corner. He also learned that the Ojon® tree was the only source of the precious oil and that the tree was unique to the rainforest of the Mosquitia region of Central America. Although the Mosquito Indians had been using the exotic Ojon® oil for centuries to clean, condition and protect their hair, it had never been exported beyond the region.
Before long, Denis and his colleagues were on a plane to Honduras to find out more about Ojon® oil from the people who knew it best. Remarkably, they set out to find the Mosquito Indian tribe, not really knowing where to look. A five–hour flight on a run–down single–propeller plane landed them on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. They hiked for two hours before finding someone who could guide them further.
They chanced upon members of MOPAWI, a local non–profit organization dedicated to helping the Indians of the Mosquitia. Now with more specific directions, Denis and his crew embarked on a five–hour small boat ride into the rainforest. When asked, Denis still recalls the experience with awe. “The boat ride was incredible – something out of National Geographic or an Indiana Jones movie. The Indian tribes lived just as they had for centuries. The land was so pure and unspoiled.”
As the boat began to slow, Denis knew they had arrived at the Mosquitia – “They all had remarkably healthy, shiny hair and no one was wearing a hat!” Other tribes they had encountered along the way wore hats to protect themselves from the blazing sun. The beauty of the story is that the Mosquito Indians are referred to in their native language as Tawira, which translates to “the people of beautiful hair™.” Denis learned that the Tawira wear Ojon® in their hair all day long and use it as a body moisturizer from the day they are born. The Tawira were proud to share all they knew about this rare natural treasure. They demonstrated each step in the tedious process of harvesting the nuts and extracting the oil, all which is done by hand.
Denis spent the next three years developing and testing Ojon® formulations while his relationship with the people of the Miskito tribe grew. In cooperation with MOPAWI, he developed a corporate partnership involving thousands of Tawira producers. Today, Ojon Corporation retains the exclusive worldwide distribution rights to Ojon® oil. Ojon® donates a portion of its profits to the indigenous people of Central America. This portion helps the Tawira preserve their traditional lifestyle and the region's rainforests. Ojon Corporation limits the annual harvest to protect the natural resource and ensure authenticity. Ojon® oil continues to be harvested and extracted by hand in the traditional way as a guarantee of purity and effectiveness. The Tawira tribes are consulted on all aspects of the business – from product development to marketing. As Ojon® continues to nurture a relationship of trust and cooperation with the world's indigenous people, we are privileged to be invited to share in many of their most sacred healing traditions.
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