Peyote: The Hallucinogen

Drugs come in a variety of forms; pills, man-made, natural, and injections. Peytone was a form of hallucinogen that was said to have healing powers among the Apache. The peyote was used in many forms of religious ceremonies within the Apache tribes. Mescaleros had practiced rather elaborate ceremonies centering on the utilization of peyote for some forty years and that the Lipans had used it in shamanistic contexts. The aged informant Antonio Apache, the Lipans obtained peyote from the Carrizo Indians (Opler, 1938). The Mescaleros are said to have learned peyote rites from the Lipans not long before 1870 (LaBarre 1938).

In native cultures the good and evil has no intrinsic value. Peyote can be used for moral or immoral purposes based on the human witch or shaman.


A Mescalero with Peyote Cactus
http://www.peyote.org/



The Apaches presently living on the reservation include members of three tribes, Mescaleros, Chiricahuas, and Lipans. The reservation was established in 1873 for the Mescaleros. Chiricahuas were taken as prisoners of war in 1886 after the capitulation of Geronomo and his followers. Lipans were destroyed as functioning groups during the latter half of the nineteenth century, when their few known remaining members joined the Mescaleros.

Nineteenth century authors stated that the Mescaleros used in peyote in religious rites in 1867.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rYdgHx8yrw

• Bryce Boyer, Ruth Boyer, and Harry Basehart. Shamanism and Peyote Use Among the Apache.