The Cactus and the Anthropologist: The Evolution of Cultural Expertise on the Entheogenic Use of Peyote in the United States
Laws June 28, 2019 Aurelien Bouayad 5 citations
Throughout the 20th century, anthropologists acted as cultural experts in American legal and legislative debates over the entheogenic use of peyote by Native Americans. They provided testimony and expertise to counter the prohibition of peyote's medicinal and sacramental use, and encouraged Peyotists to form a pan-tribal religious institution, leading to the incorporation of the Native American Church (NAC) in Oklahoma in 1918. Anthropologists helped jurists understand peyote's cultural and religious significance while also counseling Native Americans on framing their claims in legal terms. The paper demonstrates that the role of cultural experts evolved substantially, extending beyond courtroom testimony, and highlights a problematic duality between impartial expertise and biased advocacy for Native American religious rights.