The Many Lives of a Shamanic Chondur: Using Cyperus articulates in Yagé Shamanism of Southern Colombia
Hernando Echeverri-Sanchez
Journal of Ethnobiology July 1, 2021 DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.2.263 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Amazon rainforest Cyperus Narrative Plant species Ethnology Aesthetics Anthropology Traditional medicine |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that Cyperus articulatus (chondur) is a key shamanic tool in Putumayo, Colombia, used to fight spiritual agents causing illness and to reinforce therapeutic narratives in yagé ceremonies. |
Abstract
This article explores the use of Cyperus articulates in Putumayo, Colombia. This often-overlooked medicinal plant, known here as chondur, is used as a shamanic tool to fight the multiplicity of spiritual agents that can cause illness in western Amazonia. It also has a central role in yagé/ ayahuasca ceremonies, placing it in a unique position for an analytical observation of the dynamics of health in the region. The article examines two different folk varieties of this potent plant, each with its unique use, purpose, and symbolism. The use of these plants in healing rituals and yagé ceremonies highlights the importance of tools, techniques, and devices to reinforce the therapeutic narratives.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 15, 2018
- Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond Oxford University Press eBooks June 18, 2014
- Ayahuasca, Ritual and Religion in Brazil April 8, 2016
- In Darkness and Secrecy May 13, 2004
- Shamanism, history, and the state 1994