Will the Real Shaman Please Stand Up?
Oxford University Press eBooks June 18, 2014 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199341191.003.0002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Matsigenka and Yora (Nahua) indigenous peoples of southern Peru |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Indigenous |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca shamanism was adopted very recently and rapidly among the Matsigenka and Yora peoples, indicating that widespread indigenous ayahuasca use may be a recent phenomenon. |
Abstract
Abstract The ayahuasca brew (Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis) was introduced very recently among the Matsigenka and Yora (Nahua) indigenous people of southern Peru. The Matsigenka used Banisteriopsis liana previously, however they did not learn to add the potent Psychotria admixture in preparing the brew until the 1950s. Introduction of ayahuasca to the Yora (Nahua) was even more recent and drastic. Shortly after their contact and decimation by contagious diseases beginning in 1985, the Yora adopted ayahuasca and abandoned previous shamanic substances and rituals. These two case studies demonstrate how quickly and completely ayahuasca shamanism can be adopted, supporting the idea that widespread ayahuasca use even among indigenous populations may be fairly recent. The studies also attest to diversity and dynamism in indigenous practices on par with the differences observed among various urban ayahuasca practices.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A fatal intoxication following the ingestion of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in an ayahuasca preparation. 25-year-old white male | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| The Diaspora of Brazilian Religions | 2013 | Ethnographic case studies | |
| EEG Gamma Coherence and Other Correlates of Subjective Reports During Ayahuasca Experiences Experienced ayahuasca users | 2005 | Exploratory case series | n = 2 |
| Reply to “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: A case of acquired versus congenital aphantasia, as evidenced with DMT use? Individual with apparent congenital aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: Enhanced visual imagery after ayahuasca intake in a man with “blind imagination” (aphantasia) A man self-diagnosed with long-lasting aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- The Globalization of Ayahuasca Shamanism and the Erasure of Indigenous Shamanism Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2016
- The Importance of Ritual Discourse in Framing Ayahuasca Experiences in the Context of Shamanic Tourism Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2020
- Soma and Haoma: Ayahuasca analogues from the Late Bronze Age Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 1, 2019
- Primitivist medicine and capitalist anxieties in ayahuasca tourism Peru Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute February 24, 2022
- Espiritualidad y chamanismo: Rituales de ayahuasca bajo el giro subjetivo en Colombia Latin American Research Review June 8, 2022
and 2 more in the library