Ayahuasca Between Cultural Heritage and Drug Debate

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, and produces 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 to obtain guidance, wisdom, divination and healing from the spiritual realm. 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 syncretic 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, 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 dichotomyhas led to 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. In this study, these debates about ayahuasca, which is at a complex intersection between cultural heritage and narcotic classification, are discussed within the framework of international drug conventions and the views of anthropologists who criticize them. In this context, in our research, firstly, brief information is given about the process of ayahuasca going beyond its local/cultural borders. Then, the discussions around the use of this plant were evaluated within the framework of international drug abuse laws and the opinions of anthropologists specializing in ayahuasca. As a result, it has been seen that the solution to the issue extends far beyond this binary classification, and that there is a need to create a synthesis that addresses modern concerns but also respects the sacred and human search for meaning through inclusive and collaborative interdisciplinary dialogues. 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.