Non-Native Ayahuasca Use
May 25, 2011 Danylo Kosovych
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic plant mixture from the Amazon, has no single original or typical form of use; it is a dynamic practice that has changed dramatically over time. This thesis describes how the roles of shamans have shifted due to colonialism and modernization, based on fieldwork at a healing center in the Peruvian Amazon. Non-native users take ayahuasca for reasons different from indigenous motivations, primarily to end feelings of alienation and to resolve emotional trauma. Nearly all participants reported positive experiences; the intoxication creates a liminal period that allows reflection on personal issues.