The Peyote Road: Religious Freedom and the Native American Church. By Thomas Constantine Maroukis. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2010. xii, 281 pp. $29.95, ISBN 978-0-8061-4109-1.)

The Peyote religion became a major historical development among Native Americans in the United States. For millennia, people in northern Mexico ingested the hallucinogenic peyote cactus for medical and inspirational purposes. In the 1800s, peyote use spread to Indian Territory and, influenced by Christianity, formed into a religion with mythology, theology, ritual, ethics, and organization. Government and church agencies launched an assault on their faith. To defend religious freedom, Peyotists established the Native American Church of Oklahoma in 1918, the mother church of Peyotism. Despite prohibitions, the movement grew as pan-Indian yet rooted in tribal spirituality. Its ethical teachings, the Peyote Road, guided people in social distress, and its repute in curing alcoholism heightened its appeal. Today the Native American Church has approximately 300,000 Indian members.

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Abstract

The Peyote religion is one of the most important historical developments among the Indians of the United States. For thousands of years natives of northern Mexico have ingested the hallucinogenic peyote cactus, which grows wild in specific locales, for its medical and inspirational qualities. In the 1800s peyote use spread to Indian Territory, and under Christian influence it coalesced into a religion with identifiable mythology, theology, ritual, ethics, and organization. As Indians in the United States became Peyotists, governmental and church agencies launched an “assault on their faith” (p. 3). To defend their religious freedom, Peyotists in 1918 established the Native American Church of Oklahoma, the “mother church” of Peyotism (p. 212). Despite prohibitions, it continued to grow as a movement: pan-Indian, yet rooted in tribal spirituality; distinct, yet ecumenical. Many Indians saw it as “an indigenous faith” (p. 69). Its ethical teachings—the “Peyote Road”—served as a guide to people in social distress (p. 87). Its repute in curing alcoholism heightened its appeal. Today the Native American Church (nac) of North America has approximately 300,000 Indian members.