Contribution of Magical-Religious Practices to Ethnobotanical Knowledge in Peru

Magical-religious practices are central to preserving, using, and transmitting ethnobotanical knowledge in Peru, rooted in Andean-Amazonian worldviews. In the Andes, rituals like the "Florecimiento," "Levante," and "Mesada" use sacred plants such as San Pedro cactus and Datura and Brugmansia species for healing and spiritual connection. In the Amazon, the "Toma de ayahuasca" ceremony combines Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis to induce altered states of consciousness, spiritual diagnoses, and psycho-emotional healing. These practices form complex traditional medicine systems and channels for transmitting ancestral botanical knowledge, marked by syncretism between indigenous and Christian elements, with plants as mediators between natural, spiritual, and human worlds.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The research highlights the fundamental role of magical-religious practices in the preservation, use, and transmission of ethnobotanical knowledge in Peru. These practices, deeply rooted in the Andean-Amazonian worldview, manifest themselves through the symbolic and therapeutic use of sacred plants, contributing to the continuity of the cultural and spiritual identities of indigenous communities. In the Andes, particularly in areas such as Las Huaringas, rituals such as the “Florecimiento” (Flowering), the “Levante” (Rising) and the “Mesada” (Monthly Offering) stand out, where species such as the San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi) and plants of the genera Datura and Brugmansia are used in contexts of healing and spiritual connection. In the Amazon region, the “Toma de ayahuasca” ceremony, led by experienced shamans, is examined, in which Banisteriopsis caapi, Psychotria viridis, and other local species are combined. This practice allows participants to access altered states of consciousness, spiritual diagnoses, and psycho-emotional healing processes. In conclusion, magical-religious practices constitute complex systems of traditional medicine and effective channels for the transmission of ancestral botanical knowledge, marked by syncretism between indigenous and Christian elements, where plants play a central role as mediators between the natural, spiritual, and human worlds.