Ayahuasca

Today I’m traveling south to the Peruvian rainforest. South American rainforests offer a vast amount of medicinal plants that do everything from cure toothaches to increase fertility. However, the particular plant that I’m going to discuss today has a more spiritual purpose. The scientific name of this plant (or vine, more specifically) is Banisteriopsis caapi, but is known by many indigenous tribes as a number of things: Ayahuasca, Yagé, Cappi, and Natema to name a few. 

This plant is used to make a tea that is used in rituals and spiritual ceremonies in order to “open the soul”. It is highly hallucinogenic and is said to have a psychotic effect similar to that of mescaline or LSD.  The pharmacology of this vine is fairly well-understood since being brought back to the United States several decades ago. It contains DMT as well as the enzyme monoamine oxidase, which together create a visionary effect and a sense of euphoria. It is used widely across Amazonia by over 70 different indigenous tribes. There are hundreds of ways to prepare this “Spirit Vine” for consumption, and there are an equally large amount of puposes and uses in ceremonies. Ayahuasca is most commonly prepared as a hot beverage and ingested orally, though it can also be smoked. 

In some cultures it is used to diagnose or treat illnesses, some shamans use it to predict the future, and others use it as a visionary tool to get in touch with spirits or ancestors. It is said to be a learning, healing, and purifying experience.
Despite this plant being a very intimate part of some indigenous people’s TEK, just about anyone can now sign up for an Ayahuasca “experience”, and it has now become somewhat of a tourist attraction. Organizations throughout South America welcome outsiders to take part in these “retreats” (for a price) in order to reach a superior, spiritually-focused state of mind. 

While some of these experiences offer interaction with indigenous neighbors and insights into their traditions, one cannot wonder whether this is a source of exploitation or not. For example, two Americans have organized “jungle ecology tours” that prepare Ayahuasca for tourists and take them through villages of the Urarina peoples of Peru. This has not only upset the Urarina tribes in terms of invasion, but has also shown to bring disease into the villages. Clearly, the discovery of Ayahuasca by Western peoples has had an effect on indigenous people not only indirectly through biopiracy, but also quite directly by imposing upon their land. 
Til next time,
Herb


[Katie Nelson]



Images:
www.lastdaysoftheincas.com
www.ayahuaska.wordpress.com
www.biopark.org/peru/millennium-agenda.html
www.ayahuascaassociation.org