Daime Religions, mediumship and religious agency: health and the fluency of social relations

During fieldwork at the Barquinha (a Brazilian ayahuasca-using religious center), a spiritual entity called Vó Nadir, a Preta Velha (Old Black Woman), intervened ritually to help young participants with their difficulties and problems. This intervention created a favorable context for social interaction and problem resolution. The article analyzes this event in terms of ethics, methodology, and epistemology, drawing on interviews with mediums about their personal experiences, conceptions of health and spiritual help, relationships among center members, and interactions with spiritual entities.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of unconventional events experienced during fieldwork among participants in the Centro EspA­rita e Obras de Caridade PrA­ncipe Espadarte, or the Barquinha (little boat) of Madrinha (Grandmother) Chica. Barquinha is located in the city of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Barquinha participants use the sacramental psychoactive daime, known generically as ayahuasca. The focus of this article is to revisit and analyse - in terms of ethics, methodology and epistemology - an event in which a spiritual entity, VA³ (GrandMa) Nadir, a Preta Velha (Old black woman), who is dedicated to help and guide young participants, intervened ritually on their difficulties and problems, creating a favourable context for social interaction and problems resolution/management. It is also based on interviews on the personal experience of the mediums who facilitate these occasions, regarding conceptions of health and spiritual help, relationships between members of the centre, and interaction with spiritual entities.Â