The Australian Ayahuasca Dietero Networks: Culture, Community, and Practices
Alana Roy, M.l. Williams, Kimberley Day, Monica J Barratt
Contemporary Drug Problems August 11, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/00914509261473569 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 35 |
| Population | Australian ayahuasca dieteros |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Key findings | Australian ayahuasca dieteros practice a comprehensive way of life involving daily practices and relational ethics that foster ecological connection, which many participants could not find in mainstream health settings. The dieta approach is more holistic and relational than the biomedical model. |
Abstract
Alternative healthcare practices using psychedelic “plant medicines,” such as ayahuasca, challenge current prohibition and mainstream healthcare frameworks. Despite the criminalization of ayahuasca's active component, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), Australian ayahuasca dietero networks have developed sophisticated healthcare systems with systematic assessment processes, safety mechanisms, and integration protocols. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences and healthcare narratives of Australian ayahuasca dieteros in relation to their culture, community, and practices. The narratives of healthcare, culture, and practices of 35 members of this network (median age 42, range 32–67 years, 59% male), from diverse professional backgrounds, were generated through qualitative interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis within a framework of coproduction. Three themes were generated: (1) the dietero way of life, (2) healing technologies and practices, and (3) community ethics and transformation. Dietero practices extend far beyond ceremonial experiences. They form a comprehensive way of life, embodying ongoing transformation through daily practices and relational ethics. These practices foster ecological connection, which many participants could not find in mainstream health treatment settings. Comparing the dieta implementation of healthcare and the mainstream biomedical model demonstrated that the dieta approach is a more holistic and relational practice aimed at gaining and maintaining good health. This research supports drug policy reform by documenting sophisticated community safety mechanisms and community-based healing systems. These systems operate parallel to, rather than in competition with, biomedical care and function within current prohibitions. Through participatory action research, the study advances democratization and decolonization of healthcare knowledge. It contributes to the literature on Indigenous philosophies, healthcare narratives, drug policy, and psychedelic harm reduction.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The antipodes Of the mind Indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and... | 2002 | Qualitative study | |
| Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Westerners participating in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia | 2005 | Qualitative study | |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders Individuals previously diagnosed with an eating disorder | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cites 35
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Novel psychoactive substances of interest for psychiatry World Psychiatry February 1, 2016
- Human psychopharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine Behavioural Brain Research December 1, 1995
- The psychedelic renaissance and the limitations of a White-dominant medical framework: A call for indigenous and ethnic minority inclusion Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 1, 2019
and 30 more in the library