L’iboga. Un patrimoine naturel, culturel et national au service du monde

Summary

Iboga, or 'sacred wood,' is traditionally used in Gabon for spiritual and medicinal rituals during initiation ceremonies. It serves as a bridge between physical and invisible realms when consumed in powdered form. While it holds cultural significance, ibogaine, derived from iboga, has gained attention in modern medicine for its potential to treat addiction, especially to opioids. The article underscores the value of this national heritage in contemporary therapeutic contexts.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article aims to present "iboga," also known as "sacred wood," as an endogenous knowledge used traditionally in the spiritual and medicinal rituals of the people of Gabon during initiation ceremonies such as bwiti, mumbwiri, and many other rites. This plant, considered a natural, cultural, and national heritage, allows for transcendence between physical and invisible worlds through its consumption in powdered form during an initiation ceremony. While Marc Kaba in "Voie sacrée" describes the psychological, social, and spiritual virtues of this plant through narration, medical science, through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), began prescribing its substance (ibogaine) as part of a drug dependency treatment protocol for humans in the early 1990s. Thus, it highlights how this national heritage is an asset to modern medicine. Beyond its traditional uses, ibogaine (an alkaloid substance) has attracted international attention due to its potential for treating addiction, particularly opioid addiction and other substances. Keywords: Iboga, heritage, national, medicine, world

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