Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond
Oxford University Press eBooks – June 18, 2014
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew from the Amazon rainforest, serves as a bridge between indigenous shamanism and Western cultures. With insights from 300 participants across diverse ethnic groups—including Indigenous, mestizo, and cosmopolitan—this exploration reveals how displaced communities creatively reinvent rituals to forge ethnic alliances. These ceremonies not only preserve cultural heritage but also empower marginalized groups politically and socially. The dialogue between traditional practices and contemporary society highlights the dynamic interplay of ethnology, anthropology, and sociology in shaping identity and resilience.
Abstract
This book discusses how Amerindian epistemology and ontology, related to certain indigenous shamanic rituals of the Amazon, spread to Western societies, and how indigenous, mestizo, and cosmopolitan cultures have dialogued with and transformed these forest traditions. Special attention is given to the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca. Chapters reflect on how displaced indigenous people and rubber tappers are engaged in creative reinvention of rituals, and how these rituals help build ethnic alliances and cultural and political strategies for their marginalized position. The expansion of ayahuasca ... More