Fabricated Ancestrality: The Sonoran Desert Toad, Psychedelic Globalization, and the Ecological Politics of 5-MeO-DMT
Psychedelics March 1, 2026 A.m Ortiz Bernal, C L Raison, A.m Vargas Prieto et al.
A potent psychedelic compound, 5-MeO-DMT, occurs naturally in several South American plants and in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad Incilius alvarius. Although plant-based snuffs containing the compound have documented Indigenous use in the Caribbean and South America, recent claims that toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT is part of Comcáac (Seri) ancestral tradition lack historical and ethnographic support. The article introduces the concept of ancestralization, a process by which recent practices are reframed as ancient to gain cultural authority and legitimacy. This fabricated ancestrality has spread through ritual adaptation, media, and global retreat economies, increasing demand for toad secretions and ecological pressure on Incilius alvarius. The analysis calls for historical rigor, ethical accountability, and conservation-informed practices.