quarta-feira, 10 de julho de 2013

A Belfast Herbalist in the Peruvian Amazon

Earlier this year I travelled to Peru, across the Andes and down to Lake Titicaca; into the cloud forests at Machu Pichu and then into the Peruvian Amazon itself. Along the way I stayed with various indigenous tribes and learned a little about the traditional uses and applications of plants.

In the picture above an Uros Indian weaves Tutora reeds (Schoenoplectus californicus ssp. tatora). She is actually sitting on an island made from layer upon layer of the reed. The picture below shows some of the other uses of this amazing plant.
The Uros floating islands, inhabited for centuries, are situated on Lake Titicaca, one of the most peaceful places on earth. The Uros regard the Lake as their grandmother (Panchamama) from which all life springs.The Tutora reeds are used in all forms of construction and are also edible, bearing some resemblence to the Chinese bamboo shoot in taste.
In this picture above we see the renowned healing waters of Huacachinca. The mud from the lake is said to cure arthritis owing, I imagine, to its highly alkaline qualities. Beyond the huge sand dunes in the background there is a colony established by refugees of the European Witch Hunts! The use of herbs is central to these modern Wiccans.

Below a traditional meal consisting of various vegetables and grains.
I think I'll be giving the snake oil a miss though..
The use of plants for ritual purposes is traditional among many tribes in Peru. In this picture below the huge 'Candelabra' carved metres into rock lies on an outcrop near the Balisteras Islands and may represent a hallucinogenic cactus, rather than a landing pad for spaceships as some highly imaginative people have suggested!
Having travelled down through the Andes I headed into the Peruvian Amazon which makes up about 60% of territory and is regarded as the most diverse region for flora and fauna on Earth! 

Travelling along the rough train track to Machu Pichu local natives peer out from the jungle. What must they think of us?
This picture above only hints at the majesty of the lost city of Machu Pichu and the cloud forests beyond. Later I would fall and break my hand on one of the mountains in the background!
A very common herb in use throughout Peru is the Coca leaf (Erythroxylum coca), shown below, infamous for its role as the central ingredient in cocaine. Cocaine is only one of several alakloids present in the plant however which is traditionally used for acclimatising to altitude and as an adaptogen. (This weary traveller had a very close encounter with altitude sickness high in the Andes but that's another story...).Cocaine makes up around 1% of the active constituents of the plant which also include nicotine. When chewed, the leaves act as a mild stimulant and can also suppress hunger, thirst, pain, and fatigue. 
The Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) shown below is another plant that plays a central role in Peruvian religious and ethnic cultute.
Datura stramonium
Datura contains active ingredients known as tropane alkaloids including scopolamine, hyoscyamine and atropine found primarily in the seeds and trumpet-shaped flowers. It is used as a ritual hallucinogen.

The rain forests are a cornucopia of plant life but are only accessible by boat:
On the way down the Rio de Madres, a tributary of the mighty Amazon River you can also see the destruction casued by logging:
But once you get into the rain forest you enter a new and fascinating world:
Full of strange and exotic specimens....
As well as curious visitors....
And you need to be very careful were you tread....
Staying in the rain forest is like nothing I've ever experienced. The noises at night are beyond belief but the beauty and majesty is overpowering. One of my main reasons for coming here was to visit a traditional shaman and learn a bit about the native plants and herbs of Peru.

The shaman, Don Ontanado, guides us around his 'herb garden' deep into the rainforest. He stops and talks of some of these herbs and their uses:
Chuchuhuasi (Heisteria pallida) is prepared by maceration of the root bark which is then steeped in 'aguardiente' (a liqour made from sugar cane) and the resulting tincture is used as a stimulant, nervine and aphrodisiac. The principal phytochemistry of this species includes sesquiterpenes, nocotinyl, triterpenes, maytensine, and alkaloids. It has an anti-inflammatory, analgesic action. The tincture is also used in cases of malaria to lower fevers.

A herb that is perhaps better known in the West is Uña de Gata or Cat's Claw (Uncaria tormentosa):
Cat's Claw has gained a considerable reputation for treatment of Cancer and AIDS - the shaman described a recent case of stomach cancer and its successful treatment with the herb - it is one of many herbs under threat from overharvesting and the destruction of the rain forests. How many other plants are there out there that could ease so much suffering?
Sacha Buffo, a species of the flamingo lily Aranthium and Cordoncillo (Piper elongatum) are two more herbs we discuss. Cordoncillo has a pepperish taste. Ojé (Ficus insipida) shown above is another herb steeped in Peruvian mythology. It is used by shamans as a memory enhancer while the latex is used as an anthelmintic.

These herbs are carefully harvested by the shaman making sure not to take too much while ritual words of incantation are used. The shaman believes that there are two parts to the human - the physical and the spiritual - and that health is a 'conversation' between these two attributes fascilitated by plants.

The herbs are taken to the shamans hut were he makes tinctures and other preparations:
One of the most famous herbs is Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi) which is harvested and mixed with the leaves of Chacruna (Psychotria viridis) and used to restore the conversation between the physical and the spiritual. The shaman is quite firm that this plant is not a recreational drug. It is often abused by thrill-seeking tourists.
Ayahuasca is a 'doorway' and the door is 'opened' by Chacruna...
The rain forests are under threat. Most of the old hardwood trees such as Cedar and Mahogany are gone, while much of the ecology is consequently threatened. Mining activities also have had (and still have) devastating impact. 

Only a few weeks ago yet another 'lost tribe' who have never been in contact with the West was discovered. These peoples and their ways represent an unbroken tradition that should and must be left alone if it is to survive, while the species they live alongside and cultivate present an unimaginable pharmacopeia that may offer us much. Yet is it ours to exploit?

Data: 17.12.2010
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