Sacred peyote gardens: A cultural legacy under threat

Peyote dots the southern tip of Texas, emerging amidst the dusty aridity and cracked earth like otherworldly creations. These bluish-green cacti, found only here and in northern Mexico, are no ordinary plants.

To the local Native American Church members, peyote is less of a plant and more of a holy presence. Places where peyote plants flourish are reverently referred to as the “peyote gardens.”

Within the DNA of this modest plant lies a critical aspect of Native American culture.

Peyote cacti have been steadfast companions to Indigenous communities, serving as healers for the physical and mental afflictions wrought by colonization, displacement, and the erosion of culture, religion, and language.

Sacred plant with a controlled substance

One might wonder what makes the peyote plant coveted. It contains a spectrum of psychoactive alkaloids, primarily the hallucinogen mescaline, which is known for its psychedelic properties.

Despite being a controlled substance under federal law, a 1994 amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act allows Native Americans to use peyote for traditional religious purposes.

However, for the past two decades, access to this “medicine,” as it is called, has been an escalating concern for the Native American practitioners of peyotism.

These practitioners, which make up a large group of 400,000 individuals in the United States, have raised concerns about their lack of access to peyote.

They attribute the dwindling availability of the slow-growing cactus to poaching, excessive harvesting, agricultural activities, housing developments, wind farms, the border wall, and the burgeoning psychedelic renaissance.

Diverse opinions on peyote conservation

While most agree about the dire need for peyote conservation, the Native American Church community houses a diversity of opinions on how to achieve this.

Some members are suspicious of investors’ intentions and prefer government funding to safeguard the plant. Peyote, after all, represents more to them than a plant; it embodies the Creator’s spirit.

Among many poignant anecdotes that highlight the spiritual significance of peyote, one stands out.

Adrian Primeaux from the Yankton Sioux and Apache lineage recalls a tale of a malnourished Apache woman who was guided by a peyote plant to survival during a forced relocation by the U.S. government.

This plant wasn’t merely a source of sustenance; it was a spiritual guide and a north star for the Native community navigating years of traumatic history.

The return of peyote gardens

In 2017, the National Council of Native American Churches purchased land in Hebbronville, Texas, to establish the Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative (IPCI).

This non-profit organization oversees a peyote preserve that is not harvested but naturally propagated in its habitat.

Steven Benally, an IPCI board member, recalls his emotional return to the peyote gardens after years of disconnection, stating: “This is real!”

His words encapsulate the deep bond between the Native Americans and the peyote gardens.

The delicate balance of peyote conservation

The debate on peyote conservation isn’t a simple one. While some argue that cultivation outside of its natural habitat is necessary for the species’s survival, many Native American Church members contest that such a move would dilute its sacred nature.

Hershel Clark, secretary for the Teesto chapter of the Azee Bee Nahagha of Diné Nation, explained that the ceremonial protocols were bestowed by the Creator.

This is why growing peyote outside of its natural habitat or synthesizing it into pills is not supported.

Funding and future of peyote preservation

Funding has been a significant challenge for peyote preservation efforts. While the Native American Church of North America seeks financial support from the U.S. government, IPCI has taken a different route.

The non-profit kick-started their endeavours with funding from the Riverstyx Foundation run by Cody Swift, a psychotherapist and psychedelic therapy research supporter.

The organization continues to seek philanthropic dollars to propel its mission while remaining open to government funding.

However, there is a degree of skepticism about the intentions of Swift and other investors among some members of the Native American Church.

Regardless, there is an indisputable consensus: the sacred peyote plant must be protected.

Limited supply and rising demand

It is clear that opening peyote up to a broader market could create a supply crisis that favors those with financial resources.

Native American Church members might find themselves struggling to access their sacred plant while witnessing others use it in ways they consider profane.

Zulema “Julie” Morales, one of only three licensed peyoteros legally allowed to harvest the plant for sale to church members, sympathizes with this sentiment.

Morales recalls a time when her father could fill a dozen large trays with peyote, but now she can barely fill one, not because of ethical harvesting practices, but because of illegal poaching.

As the Native American communities continue to cherish, protect, and conserve the sacred peyote plant, the rest of the world must extend their understanding and respect for the unique spiritual bond shared by the communities and this modest, yet powerful, plant.

Let it be a lesson to us all about the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and the profound sacredness that can spring from such a bond.

Information for this article comes from a release by the Associated Press.

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