Ayahuasca healing beyond the Amazon: the globalization of a traditional indigenous entheogenic practice

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive Amazonian indigenous brew traditionally used as an entheogen for spiritual and healing purposes, has globalized since the late twentieth century through new Brazilian religious movements and commodified cross-cultural vegetalismo rituals for non-indigenous participants. This article explores the rise of such rituals beyond the Amazon, examining philosophical and political concerns including the status of traditional indigenous knowledge, cultural appropriation, and intellectual property. It discusses a United States patent dispute and allegations of biopiracy related to ayahuasca, concluding with reflections on the future of ayahuasca drinking as a transnational sociological phenomenon.

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Abstract

Abstract Ayahuasca commonly refers to a psychoactive Amazonian indigenous brew traditionally used for spiritual and healing purposes (that is as an entheogen). Since the late twentieth century, ayahuasca has undergone a process of globalization through the uptake of different kinds of socio‐cultural practices, including its sacramental use in some new Brazilian religious movements and its commodified use in cross‐cultural vegetalismo practices, or indigenous‐style rituals conducted primarily for non‐indigenous participants. In this article, I explore the rise of such rituals beyond the Amazon region, and consider some philosophical and political concerns arising from this novel trend in ayahuasca use, including the status of traditional indigenous knowledge, cultural appropriation and intellectual property. I discuss a patent dispute in Unites States and allegations of biopiracy related to ayahuasca. I conclude the article with some reflections on the future of ayahuasca drinking as a transnational sociological phenomenon.