Ayahuasca, Ritual and Religion in Brazil

`In its own way, each of the chapters collected here contributes to the ongoing journey of ayahuasca religiosity toward full and equal recognition as a legitimate mode of religious expression. Although writing and researching a variety of issues at play in contemporary Brazilian society, Bia Labate and Edward McRae have each earned an academic reputation as an insightful commentator upon one or more aspects relating to the emergence, spread and consolidation of ayahuasca religion in Brazil.'' From the foreword by Andrew Dawson, Lancaster University, UK

Ayahuasca, Ritual and Religion in Brazil examines the emergence of religious groups in the Brazilian Amazon who constitute their systems of ritual, myth and principles around the use of a psychoactive brew known by diverse names, one of which is the Quechua term `ayahuasca''. Although the study of these religious movements has seen much development in recent decades there are still few publications in English, especially in the area of anthropology. This collection, containing many articles previously published only in Portuquese, explains the research conducted in Brazil. It shows a representative sample of the main types of approaches that have been used and also offers an overview of the historical development of this field of research in Brazil, especially from the perspective of the human sciences.

This volume makes explicit what the study of the ayahuasca religions can contribute to classical and contemporary issues in anthropology. It presents a varied set of ethnographic approaches employed in the initial mapping of this phenomenon, establishing its historical and cultural origins. It also provides a basis to develop future work on these religions, both in their original contexts and in their expansion throughout Brazil and the world.