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"Taboo" - National Geographic Channel, 8.30 (or 7.30) tonight

Samadhi

Samadhi

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If anyone is interested, there is a doco on the National Geographic channel tonight discussing the shamanic use of psychoactive plants. I believe that the series will, each week, discuss other so-called "taboo" subjects such as cannibalism, faith healing, etc etc...
It looks wicked :)
The blurb in the guide is: "Drugs. Its a truism in most societies: drugs that treat are good, drugs that transport are taboo."
The guide has it down for 8.30pm, but that is Syderee time...so 7.30 up in here in brisbane. It runs for an hour.
Thelema
K
[ 02 January 2003: Message edited by: samadhi ]
 
watched it. was an excellent and extemely objective program.
showed how a peruvian tribe use San Perdo as a healing/luck drug. the Shaman has been doing it twice a week for sumthin like 45 years!!!
then showed some kid in the USA and how he does mdma.. and even though he's into "the scene" prefers to do it at home in the comfort of close friends..
and thennnnnn showed some mexican tribe who use Peyote as a catalyst to bring them closer to their gods. the shaman even gave it to his 7 YEAR OLD son so he could learn to carry on the tradition!
very fucking interesting indeed.. :)
 
right on specialK!
It was an extremely objective piece.
I went to the national geographic website and this blurb was the only piece of writing i could find...i was hoping for a transcript, but- oh well :)
It is a truism in most modern societies: Drugs that treat are good; drugs that transport are taboo. The more "progress" a culture makes, it seems, the more rooted it becomes in the practical and the less willing to allow the spiritual journeys that drugs can offer. We take a trip from traditional acceptance to modern rejection, exploring how these drugs are used in ancient cultures and why they are prohibited in modern ones. In northern Peru, we join healers who battle demons with the help of San Pedro, a drug that transports them to another realm and gives them the power to mend broken lives. In Mexico, where peyote is illegal for most citizens, we take a pilgrimage with children and their parents to see that drug's role in their spiritual education. And in the United States, we follow a gang of Ecstasy users who defy their society's prohibition to find unexplored aspects of their selves.
I loved how with both of the ritualised uses of both San Pedro and Peyote, the people had to go through a series of purification and stripping of ego rituals first. For the San Pedro ritual, the people had to insufflate a watery mix of tobacco and perfume, then bathe in the near freezing lake.
With the Peyote ritual, the Huichol tribe make a pilgrimage to the Chihuahua desert for the annual harvesting of the peyote buttons. None of them are allowed to sleep or eat; this is seen as humbling, hence their hearts and souls are pure for the experience. The legend behind the ritual is that when the original Huchiol warriors were out hunting, they came accross a blue deer. When they tried to kill the deer (which was their God). It ran away, but in its wake, Peyote buttons grew. This was the blessing of the God, and each year, they ritualise the harvest by conversing with the God, and receiving its blessing. I thought it was fascinating at the age variation of the group that was taking Peyote for the first time. The youngest was perhaps 4, and the oldest being in his 40's.
An all-round corker of a documentary :)
K
[ 02 January 2003: Message edited by: samadhi ]
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Just finished watching the re-run now actually. Not bad, however I thought it still gave MDMA too much of an underground rave image. Im not sure how old the piece is, but the implications made that MDMA is only used by ravers seems a little past its used by date...
 
Originally posted by pinkanga:
however I thought it still gave MDMA too much of an underground rave image. Im not sure how old the piece is, but the implications made that MDMA is only used by ravers seems a little past its used by date...
Hmm...i don't completely agree with you pinkanga. Yes, they did discuss MDMA use within the "rave scene" but they also delved into how alot of what they call "rave-veterans" are now seeing MDMA as more than a "oooh the lights are so purrrdy" drug, and are choosing to experience it in a more intimate environment where they can gain more beneficial effects....they then had quite a discussion with the group interviewed about that. The people in the group were all quite well-educated, well spoken... I do, however, see your point regarding the fact that they didn't really discuss people who had never been to raves, don't like electronic music yet still like to experience MDMA.
I also liked the fact that the experts interviewed said that modern MDMA usage is alot different to ritualised san-pedro and peyote usage, and has the potential to be far more dangerous. With ritualised usage (in its true meaning), the person is guided by a shaman, someone experienced in where these psychedelics can take people. Unfortuately, modern-day MDMA users don't have that luxury, and don't necessarily have the respect for the drug, so have to be far more careful as to what situations they put themselves in, who they choose to be around, because not only does the mind expand on the substance, it becomes quite fragile.
Anyway, i thought it was quite well-balanced. :) Each to their own, i guess.
[ 03 January 2003: Message edited by: samadhi ]
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Originally posted by samadhi:

I do, however, see your point regarding the fact that they didn't really discuss people who had never been to raves, don't like electronic music yet still like to experience MDMA.

Yep exactly what I meant. I agree that the show went alot further than most similar programs that discuss MDMA...ie they included extensive interviews with the 'veteran ravers' and pointed out that many people are now enjoying the drug in the comfort of their own homes.
I just felt, as you pointed out, that it still placed too much of a direct connection between the use of MDMA and going to raves. The majority of the population who dont use drugs would have absolutely no idea how common it is for people having a common house party to be popping a few pills. I just thought by now that doco's which address the use of this drug would be more up to date and not so much focusing on the old stereo typical cliches.
Anyway...I seem to be rambling on a bit for whatever reason. Twas over all a decent program I spose.
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Point taken pinkanga :)
I think that the producers thought that they were tackling the above point by discussing those issues with the veteran ravers. They perhaps should have included some footage of/discussion with "everyday" people who have no association with raves or electronic music as well.
Then again, the doco wasn't solely concentrated on MDMA either...to me, that was only a small focus. My interest lay on the natural stuff. :D
and no, you're not rambling at all. Discussion is good :)
 
This was a wonderful show. It portrayed a reaslitic picture of how drugs are used in various cultures, with both ends of the argument given. I was surprised as to how positively the looked at the older cultures that have an embedded ritual in the use of psychedelics. Our cultures have their own shamans, more in Australia then in North America in my point of view. Still the shamans of western culture ARE taboo and I believe this is not how it should be. The documentary proved the points as to why...
:)
Lovely to watch! Unfortunately I did not record it. :P
 
Our cultures have their own shamans, more in Australia then in North America in my point of view.
can u gimme an example? :)
I know that the doco likened DJs to Shamans which I thought was kinda clever..
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I don't me shamans in the rave scene. I mean people involved in ritualistic use of psychedelics in group gatherings for the purpose of healings. I know a few people involved in the field of ethnobotany who have been to Shamanistic gatherings in Australia. :)
Nothing to do with DJ's :P
A good place to start looking is [australia shaman website] its not all there on the surface, but if you dig deep enough you will find what you are looking for. ;)
[Edit: I removed reference to the source URL because it seems to be a link repository containing some links to obtain or purchase psychoactive substances. That link is obscenely easy to find on google though :) BigTrancer]
[ 06 January 2003: Message edited by: BigTrancer ]
 
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