7 August 2026
Psychedelic Plant Medicines of the Americas: History, Traditions, and Indigenous Voices
Introduction: Psychedelic Plants and Living Traditions in the Americas (An Excerpt)
Edited By: Beatriz Caiuby Labate, Henrique Fernandes Antunes, Nidia A. Olvera Hernández, and Clancy Cavnar
MAPS Bulletin: Volume XXXVI
The Americas have long been a fertile ground for the use of psychoactive plants, a practice deeply entwined with Indigenous peoples and traditional knowledge systems. Psychedelics, in particular, have a long tradition in these lands, as noted in the classic work Plants of the Gods, which states, “It is in the New World that the number and cultural significance of hallucinogenic plants are overwhelming” (Schultes et al., 2001, p. 26). Yet, in recent decades, the consumption and circulation of these plants have significantly transcended their original cultural and geographic contexts (Labate & Cavnar, 2014, 2016, 2018; Labate & Jungaberle, 2011; Labate et al., 2017). This expansion has given rise to new practices and circuits, as well as new discourses of tradition—all of which are constantly negotiated, contested, and reimagined. The present volume, Psychedelic Plant Medicines of the Americas: History, Traditions, and
Indigenous Voices, seeks to address this dynamic and ever-changing landscape, offering a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the historical, cultural, political, and ecological dimensions of psychoactive plant use across the Americas.
The focus of the social sciences has increasingly turned toward the interrelations
between humans and plants, reflecting the main insights from the “vegetal turn” (Kohn, 2013; Marder, 2013) and “ontological turn” (Descola, 2013; Holbraad & Pedersen, 2017; Ingold, 2000; Viveiros de Castro, 2014). This perspective underscores the agency of plants, emphasizing their roles not merely as passive objects of human consumption, but as active participants in shaping traditions, identities, and even interspecies communication (Callicott, 2013; Dev, 2018). Following this trend, this volume explores the complex ways that plants such as ayahuasca, peyote, tobacco, mushrooms, and cannabis mediate human experiences, shape bodies, and (re)create traditions and communities. By foregrounding these interactions, we aim to expand the understanding of psychoactive plant use beyond reductionist frameworks of pharmacology, delving instead into the intricate webs of relationships that these plants sustain.
As psychoactive plants gain popularity and enter global markets, their commodification has introduced both opportunities and challenges (Labate et al., 2025). On one hand, the growing demand for these plants and fungi has created avenues for economic development, fostering new networks, projects, and collaborations. This economic potential has proven to benefit Indigenous and local communities when managed ethically (Chacruna, 2023). On the other hand, the integration of these plants into global markets often raises issues of sustainability, as increased harvesting pressures threaten their ecological availability. Additionally, traditional practices may face risks of tokenization or sanitization as they adapt to meet the expectations of new audiences.
These shifts underscore the need to navigate commodification with care, balancing economic opportunities while safeguarding traditional practices and protecting psychoactive plants. This new landscape also serves as a springboard for the emergence of new ceremonies, aesthetics, and traditions. As psychoactive plants are integrated into diverse cultural and economic settings, hybrid practices and rituals develop, blending elements of tradition with modern technologies and media outlets. In this context, it is important to consider several questions: How do new practices and traditions become legitimized and recognized as authentic in this universe? How do new rituals and aesthetics reshape this landscape? What controversies emerge as the use of these plants expands beyond their cultural contexts of origin into new audiences? These questions underscore the complex tensions between continuity and change, preservation and expansion, and other polarities—raising critical challenges about how the use of these plants is legitimized and recognized, not only in legal terms, but also by contemporary practitioners. As new rituals and aesthetics are created, they reshape the cultural landscape while sparking debates over authenticity and appropriation, exposing the fragile balance between honoring traditional roots and embracing innovation in an era of global interconnectedness.
In this context, the book explores the necessity of understanding the consumption of psychoactive plants as part of a broader network of flows: substances, objects, people, practices, policies, and ideas. The movement of these plants across borders and their integration into diverse cultural and therapeutic frameworks underscores the ways in which tradition and modernity, local and global, intersect and reshape each other. This fluidity also fosters new forms of activism and alliances as Indigenous communities, researchers, and practitioners collaborate to protect sacred plants and ensure their sustainable and respectful use.
This book highlights the incredible biodiversity of the Americas through its exploration of a wide range of psychoactive plants, including marijuana, peyote, ayahuasca, coca, tobacco, jurema, psilocybin mushrooms, and toé (Brugmansia suaveolens). By focusing on specific psychoactive plants within their geographical and cultural contexts and beyond, this volume offers a cohesive and interdisciplinary analysis that draws on anthropology, sociology, history, and geography. Each chapter examines how these plants function as agents of cultural continuity and transformation, shedding light on their roles in rituals, healing practices, and identity formation.
As the so-called psychedelic renaissance continues to gain momentum, there is an urgent need for scholarship that critically examines the implications of this global phenomenon, particularly its impact on traditional populations and ecosystems (Labate et al., 2025). This psychedelic revival has been dominated by biomedical science, although emerging fields such as psychedelic humanities are helping to analyze these phenomena philosophically, historically, and politically (Langlitz, 2023; see also, Dyck et al., 2024; Labate et al., 2025). In addition, some authors have sought to decolonize these perspectives (González, 2022; Labate & Cavnar, 2021) and to consider Indigenous perspectives (Williams et al., 2022).
The study of psychoactive plants in the Americas has long benefited from critical perspectives in history and anthropology, enriching our understanding of their cultural, social, and political dimensions. Drug history, an expanding field of research, has increasingly incorporated psychedelics into its scope (see Dyck & Elcock, 2023; Elcock, 2013; Richert & Dyck, 2020). In Latin America, scholars have advanced interdisciplinary approaches to these substances, integrating new sources and perspectives (Gootenberg & Campos, 2015). In Mexico, anthropology—particularly ethnography—has played a central role in documenting traditional uses of psychoactive plants (Fagetti & González, 2012; Glockner, 2016; Rodríguez, 2019), while more recent historical research has focused on peyote (Dawson, 2018; Olvera Hernández, 2019), psilocybin mushrooms (Spiers et al., 2024), and cannabis (Campos, 2012; Pérez, 2016;
Schievenini, 2021). In South America, ayahuasca has received considerable academic attention due to its significance for Indigenous and religious communities. Research spans multiple disciplines including anthropology, sociology, and religious studies, examining Indigenous and mestizo traditions such as vegetalismo (Dobkin de Rios, 1972; Luna, 1986), the emergence of ayahuasca religions (Labate & Araújo, 2004; Labate et al., 2009), therapeutic and globalized uses (Caicedo-Fernández, 2023; Labate & Cavnar, 2014), and legal and political dimensions (Antunes, 2019; Labate, 2005; MacRae, 2008).
This book seeks to contribute to the expansion of these discussions, especially with authors from the humanities and social sciences who engage in critically studying the use of psychoactive plants. By situating psychoactive plant use within its broader social, cultural, and ecological contexts, we hope to foster a more informed and respectful engagement with these powerful substances and the communities that steward their knowledge. In bringing together updated research, historical analyses, and Indigenous perspectives, Psychedelic Plant Medicines of the Americas: History, Traditions, and Indigenous Voices underscores the importance of understanding psychoactive plants as both agents and subjects within a dynamic and interconnected world, urging readers to reconsider the ways in which these plants shape and are shaped by human societies.
This edited volume thus represents an important contribution to the study of psychoactive plants, their cultural dimensions, and their roles in diverse contexts. By weaving together historical, ethnographic, pharmacological, and Indigenous perspectives, the authors challenge conventional understandings of psychoactives as isolated substances and instead situate them within broader frameworks of tradition and cultural identity. Each chapter highlights the interplay between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary practices, offering a rich tapestry of insights that transcends disciplinary boundaries.
One of the most innovative aspects of this project is our commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices. By including interviews and contributions from Indigenous leaders and scholars, we strive to move beyond the typical academic lens, offering readers authentic engagement with the lived experiences and challenges faced by these communities. This emphasis on Indigenous perspectives not only deepens the narrative but also underscores the critical importance of respecting and preserving these traditions in the face of cultural appropriation and ecological threats.
By bridging the gap between scientific inquiry and traditional knowledge, this volume seeks to foster dialogue and collaboration. Our goal is to advocate for a more inclusive understanding of psychoactives—one that honors their cultural origins while addressing modern ethical and ecological concerns. Through this multifaceted approach, we aim to establish a meaningful contribution to the study of psychoactive plants and their profound cultural, spiritual, and scientific significance. This work is both a scholarly resource and a call to action, urging thoughtful and responsible engagement with these extraordinary plants and traditions.
We must consider that the so-called psychedelic renaissance has often excluded knowledge from the Global South, disregarding the rich epistemologies of Indigenous and local traditions. This exclusion is compounded by the marginalization of diverse voices and perspectives in mainstream psychedelic discourse—where contributions from women, people of color, and marginalized communities are underrepresented or overlooked. We cannot fail to mention the significant gap in English-language literature on psychoactive plants, as much of the research on this topic is published in Spanish and Portuguese.
To tackle some of these issues, the book combines academic research and personal storytelling, creating a space for both scholarly analysis and personal perspectives. This structure aims to bridge the gap between traditional academic writing and the embodied, experiential knowledge that psychedelics offer. By doing so, it provides a more comprehensive and inclusive narrative, reflecting the multiple dimensions of psychedelic use and understanding.
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Bia Labate
Dr. Bia Labate (Beatriz Caiuby Labate) is an anthropologist, educator, author, speaker, and activist, committed to the protection of sacred plants while amplifying the voices of marginalized communities in the psychedelic science field. As a queer Brazilian anthropologist based in San Francisco, she has been profoundly influenced by her experiences with ayahuasca since 1996. Dr. Labate has a Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil. Her work focuses on plant medicines, drug policy, shamanism, ritual, religion, and social justice. She is the Executive Director of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines and serves as a Senior Advisor for Culture and Strategy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Additionally, she is a Visiting Scholar at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and acts as advisor for around 15 organizations, among them the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, Soltara Healing Center, Sacred Plant Alliance and the Alaska Entheogenic Awareness Council. Dr. Labate is also a co-founder of the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies (NEIP) in Brazil and the editor of its site. She has authored, co-authored, and co-edited 29 books, three special-edition journals, and numerous peer-reviewed and online publications.
Henrique Fernandes Antunes
Henrique Fernandes Antunes is Research Director at the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of São Paulo (2019), where he also earned his M.A. in 2012, and completed his undergraduate and teaching degrees in Social Sciences at São Paulo State University (UNESP-FFC) in 2008. He has been a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, and has held postdoctoral positions at the Centre d’Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (CEMS) at EHESS, the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, and the International Postdoctoral Program at the Brazilian Center of Analysis and Planning (CEBRAP). He is a member of CEBRAP’s Religion in the Contemporary World research group and is affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies (NEIP). Dr. Antunes is the author of Religion, Drug or Cult? Ayahuasca’s Legal Path in Brazil, the United States and France (Springer, 2025) and co-editor of Psychedelic Plant Medicines of the Americas: History, Traditions, and Indigenous Voices (North Atlantic Books, 2026). His research examines the regulation and global circulation of ayahuasca, with particular attention to legal, political, and cultural frameworks in Brazil and beyond. He has also written on the mainstreaming of psychedelics, the DEA’s religious exemption for churches, and the contemporary psychedelic renaissance.
Nidia A. Olvera Hernández
Nidia A. Olvera Hernández, Ph.D., is a Mexican historian and anthropologist. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher on the project “Poison, Medicine or Magic Potion? Shifting Perspectives on Drugs in Latin America” at Radboud University. She also collaborates as an Affiliate Researcher with the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines and serves as Associate Review Editor for the Journal of Social History of Alcohol and Drugs. Her primary research interests focus on the historical dimensions of psychoactive plants and substances, as well as drug policy. She earned her Ph.D. in Modern and Contemporary History from the Mora Institute in Mexico City. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Ethnohistory from the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH) and a master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS), both in Mexico City. Nidia has worked as a project coordinator for United Nations drug treatment programs and has taught at the Autonomous University of Mexico City and ENAH. She is the author of several peer-reviewed articles and co-editor of the books Psychedelic Plant Medicines of the Americas: History, Traditions, and Indigenous Voices (North Atlantic Books, 2026) and Plantas Sagradas en México: Tradición, Religión y Ritualidad [Sacred Plants in Mexico: Tradition, Religion and Ritual] (Colsan/Chacruna Institute, 2023)
Clancy Cavnar
Clancy Cavnar has a doctorate in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) from John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA. She currently works in private practice in San Francisco, and is Co-Founder and sits on the Board of Directors of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines. She is also a research associate of the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies (NEIP). She combines an eclectic array of interests and activities as clinical psychologist, artist, and researcher. She has a master of fine arts in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute, a master’s in counseling from San Francisco State University, and she completed the Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). She is author and co-author of articles in several peer-reviewed journals and co-editor, with Beatriz Caiuby Labate, of thirteen books. For more information see: http://www.drclancycavnar.com.
