An application of Ricoeur's hermeneutic theory: Configuations of the shamanic in contemporary ayahuasca narratives
Matthew Koczkur
PRISM (University of Calgary) 2013 DOI: 10.11575/prism/24834 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Narrative Narratology Synchronicity Psychoanalysis Epistemology |
| Key points | Argues that neo-shamanic ayahuasca narratives configure personal experiences in ways that represent mestizo religious practices as shamanic, and that reading these narratives can shape readers' lived experiences. |
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a surge of popular interest in the mestizo tradition of ayahuasca, variously referred to as curanderismo, vegetalismo, and/or ‘shamanism’. This interest in Ayahuasca, a psychotropic plant brew, is evidenced by the thriving industry of ayahuasca tourism that exists in Peru. Such ayahuasca ‘tours’ are predominantly attended by European, and North American neo-shamanists who are seeking personal healing and/or knowledge of indigenous traditions. This thesis will analyze, by way of Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutic theory, the newly emergent genre of neo-shamanic literature which I have named “ayahuasca narratives” in order to ascertain the manner in which the authors configure their ayahuasca experiences into narrative accounts. This will elucidate the manner in which mestizo religious practices are represented as shamanic. The importance of this exercise is found in the ways by which the act of reading narrative accounts can shape the lived experiences of the reader.
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 9
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: Tryptamine and β-carboline constituents of Ayahuasca Journal of Ethnopharmacology April 1, 1984
- Ayahuasca healing beyond the Amazon: the globalization of a traditional indigenous entheogenic practice Global Networks December 9, 2008
- The healing practices of a Peruvian shaman. Journal of Ethnopharmacology July 1, 1984
- A Hallucinogenic Tea, Laced With Controversy. Ayahuasca in the Amazon and the United States Journal of Travel Medicine July 1, 2009
- Hallucinogenic plant use and related indigenous belief systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Journal of Ethnopharmacology April 1, 1979
and 4 more in the library