Author
ŞAHİN, Nadide
Publication Place
University of Afyon Kocatepe -
University of Afyon Kocatepe
Subject
Ayahuasca, Shamanism
Type
kitap
Language
ara,eng
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Leitir Library
Library Asset ID
ISSN: 2757-8399, EISSN: 2757-8399, DOI: 10.52637/kiid.1355099
Record ID
cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_9b1894e90ee44f0bb3b7237c87d2f4a2
Library Location
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
Notes
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage that has traditionally been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Amazon basin for spiritual, medicinal and shamanic purposes. The word ayahuasca typically refers to both the plant itself (Banisteriopsis caapi) and the drink obtained when combined with other plants, usually containing the psychedelic compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine). The main ingredient in ayahuasca is the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, which contains harmine and other MAO inhibitors. These inhibitors ensure that DMT is absorbed and active when taken orally. DMT is a powerful hallucinogenic compound found in small amounts in various plants and even in the human body. DMT becomes active when combined with MAO inhibitors derived from the ayahuasca vine, producing intense visionary experiences often described as deeply introspective, spiritual/spiritual, and sometimes compelling. In this respect, indigenous people believe that ayahuasca is a powerful tool that allows them to communicate with the spirit world and the spirits of their ancestors and gain spiritual insight. It is often used for guidance, wisdom, divination and healing from the spiritual realm. In addition, ayahuasca rituals are social events that bring people together. Participants' bonds within the community are strengthened as they share their experiences, support each other, and benefit from the wisdom of shamans. Ceremonies also help pass on cultural traditions and teachings to younger generations. Therefore, ayahuasca is described as a tool that serves to preserve indigenous identity. With all these aspects, ayahuasca is seen as a cultural heritage symbol intricately woven into the fabric of indigenous societies in the Amazon Basin. In the 19th century, some events, especially the Amazon rubber boom, caused the use of ayahuasca to go beyond local/cultural boundaries. Shortly after the rubber workers returned to their homes, syncretic ayahuasca beliefs began to emerge in the cities of the region. In the 20th century, with the influence of globalization, which facilitated cultural exchange between Indigenous traditions and Western practices, syncretic ayahuasca beliefs began to manifest in many countries of America, Europe and even Asia. In addition to syncretic ayahuasca churches, the use of ayahuasca is now highly sought after by people seeking alternative forms of spirituality and consciousness exploration due to its role in evoking deep experiences and insights through visions. An important point at this point is that the internationalization of ayahuasca use, along with its increasing popularity, has also created a series of problems that bring it into conflict with drug laws. As a matter of fact, in the context of today's modern legal frameworks, ayahuasca is also considered under the title of narcotic substances due to the presence of the hallucinogenic compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine). This dual situation has brought about questions and discussions about whether ayahuasca should be classified mainly as a cultural heritage or as a narcotic drug. According to the states on one side of the debate, this plant should be considered as a narcotic and its use should be banned or restricted worldwide, in accordance with international conventions. On the other hand, according to anthropologists, ayahuasca should be evaluated as a cultural heritage, not as a narcotic substance, and should be treated accordingly. At this point, advocates of drug control underline the obligation to adhere to international agreements aimed at preventing illegal narcotics; Defenders of cultural heritage emphasize the need to protect local rights and traditions. Our aim with this study is to examine the discussions about ayahuasca, which is at a complex junction between cultural heritage and narcotic classification, within the framework of international drug conventions and the views of anthropologists who raise various criticisms against them. In this context, in our research, we will first give brief information about the process of ayahuasca going beyond its local/cultural borders. Then, the discussions around the use of this plant will be discussed and evaluated within the framework of international drug abuse laws and the opinions of anthropologists specializing in ayahuasca. Despite the increasing popularity of Ayahuasca use worldwide, including in our country, the lack of sufficient number and depth of studies on the subject is the most important factor that led us to this research. Therefore, we hope to make a significant contribution to the literature of our field with this study. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that has traditionally been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Amazon basin for spiritual, medicinal, and shamanic purposes. The word ayahuasca typically refers to both the plant itself (Banisteriopsis caapi) and the beverage obtained when combined with other herbs, often containing the psychedelic compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine). The main ingredient in ayahuasca is Banisteriopsis caapi vine, which contains harmine and other MAO inhibitors. These inhibitors allow DMT to be absorbed and active when taken orally. DMT is a powerful hallucinogenic compound found in small amounts in various plants and even in the human body. DMT becomes active when combined with MAO inhibitors from the ayahuasca vine, producing intense visionary experiences that are often described as deeply introspective, spiritual, and sometimes challenging. In this respect, indigenous peoples believe that ayahuasca is a powerful tool that allows them to communicate with the spirit world and the spirits of their ancestors and gain spiritual insight. It is often used for guidance from the spiritual realm, wisdom, divination and healing. In addition, ayahuasca rituals are social events that bring people together. As they share their experiences, support each other, and benefit from the wisdom of the shamans, the bonds of the participants within the community are strengthened. Ceremonies also help transfer cultural traditions and teachings to younger generations. Therefore, ayahuasca is described as a tool that serves to preserve the indigenous identity. With all these aspects, ayahuasca is seen as a cultural heritage symbol intricately woven into the fabric of indigenous societies in the Amazon Basin. In the 19th century, some events, especially the Amazon rubber explosion, caused the use of ayahuasca to go beyond local/cultural boundaries. After a while, after the rubber workers returned to their homes, syncretic ayahuasca beliefs began to emerge in the cities of the region. In the 20th century, syncretic ayahuasca beliefs began to appear in many countries of America, Europe and even Asia, with the effect of globalization that facilitated cultural exchange between Native traditions and Western practices. As well as ayahuasca churches, ayahuasca use is highly to be in demand by people seeking alternative forms of spirituality and consciousness exploration because of its role in evoking deep experiences and insights through visions. An important point at this point is that the internationalization of ayahuasca use, along with its increasing popularity, has also created a number of problems that confront it with drug laws. As a matter of fact, ayahuasca is also considered under the title of narcotic substances due to the presence of the hallucinogenic compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine) it contains in the context of today's modern legal frameworks. This dual situation has brought with it questions and debates about whether ayahuasca should be classified mainly as a cultural heritage or as a narcotic drug. According to the states on one side of the debate, this plant should be considered as a narcotic in accordance with international conventions and its use should be banned or restricted worldwide. On the other hand, according to anthropologists, ayahuasca should not be considered as a narcotic substance, but should be considered as a cultural heritage and should be treated based on this. At this point, the advocates of drug control underline the necessity of adhering to international agreements aimed at preventing illegal narcotics; Advocates of cultural heritage emphasize the need to protect local rights and traditions. Our aim with this study is to examine the debates about ayahuasca, which is at a complex intersection between cultural heritage and narcotic classification, within the framework of international drug conventions and the views of anthropologists who criticize them. In this context, in our research, first of all, a brief information will be given about the process of ayahuasca going out of its local/cultural boundaries. Then, within the framework of international drug use laws and the ideas of anthropologists specializing in ayahuasca, the debates shaped around the use of this plant will be discussed and evaluated. Despite the increasing popularity of the use of ayahuasca around the world, including our country, the lack of sufficient number and depth of studies on the debate on the subject is the most important factor that led us to this research. Therefore, with this study, we hope to make an important contribution to the literature of our field.
Detaylı Başlık
Kültürel Miras ile Uyuşturucu Madde Tartışmaları Arasında Ayahuasca
