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The ritual use of yajé: heritage and consumption in debate.
journal Article
2010
Alhena, Caicedo Fernández
Pages: 63 - 86
Abstract
For about 15 years, several Colombian cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Pasto have witnessed the appearance and dissemination of rituals associated with yajé takeover, a psychotropic traditionally used by several indigenous groups of the Amazon Piedmont. These practices now call on people of different social classes who access these spaces for different purposes, where therapeutic and spiritual predominate. Offered under the title of “indigenous traditional medicine”, the ritual consumption of yajé is promoted as a legitimate practice fruit of a shared cultural heritage that must be recovered. This article presents some discussions around the question: is it possible to think about the ritual use of yajé as heritage?