A critical review of the literature on the diaspora of Brazilian ayahuasca religions 1
OpenAlex – February 15, 2018
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
The internationalization of Brazilian ayahuasca religions, such as Santo Daime and União do Vegetal, has expanded to dozens of countries since the 1970s, showcasing a remarkable cultural diaspora. This chapter critically reviews over 100 academic sources, including articles and theses, to highlight trends and gaps in the field of ayahuasca studies. By examining transnational alliances and cultural translations, it aims to provide a comprehensive guide for researchers interested in the intersections of psychedelics, culture, and religion in Latin America and beyond.
Abstract
Born during the twentieth century, Barquinha, Santo Daime, and the União do Vegetal, known as the Brazilian ayahuasca religions, were circumscribed to the northern region of Brazil at least until the beginning of the 70's. Since then, Santo Daime and the União do Vegetal have expanded significantly, each one in its own way, reaching all the regions of the country, crossing the Brazilian borders and the Atlantic Ocean. The process of internationalization of these groups involves complex nets and transnational alliances, generating intriguing issues on cultural translation and religious diaspora. Nevertheless, the theme is rarely explored and the information is widely scattered. This chapter proposes a critical review of the academic literature on the internationalization of these groups, including articles, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations in various languages, published or not, as well as texts on the legal aspects. Through a comparative approach, the authors seek to identify the main characteristics, tendencies, and perspectives of the ayahuasca field of studies. In this way, the hope is to call attention to the possibilities and gaps of this discussion and, at the same time, to stimulate the development of more research. This chapter aims to become a sort of guide to the researchers in this area as well as to be of use to others interested in the subject. The internationalization of the ayahuasca religions has already reached dozens of countries in the world and offers an interesting locus of study of the interaction among psychedelics, culture, language, and cognition.