A JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC WRITING VOLUME 5

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ebury these articles, after due process, and are now currently in the limelight for an issue that plagues many native people; what can be done to reclaim the artifacts of their past ? History, in all its forms, is a significant key to connecting us to our heritage and is crucial in helping to provide wisdom that will allow us to assure progress in our future. Walking the fine line between using artifacts for education and the desecration of the items sanctity will continually be an issue that plagues our society. Future disputes and past remains will come hand-in-hand into the world of cultural knowledge and experience; however it can be a process that is both functional and respectful for both the scientific and cultural community. The Smithsonian Institution’s new National Museum of the American Indian is one such example of harmony between the two groups. They have found a way to merge both the cultural sacredness of artifacts with the necessity of museums to display the artifacts for education of the public. According to John Roach’s newswire in “National Geographic News” online: Curator Mary Jane Lenz said the staff will even loan out items for ceremonial purposes. In fact, the museum recently loaned a beaded dance collar to a community in the U.S. Pacific Northwest to dedicate a new dance hall. It is encouraging to see such progress being achieved in the culmination of past and present knowledge. Perhaps this is a preview of future relations between Native Nations and educational institutions. I believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved, including you and I, that we are able to learn from the artifacts of any and all cultures’ histories without having to resort to the desecration of their buried remains. Is it absolutely necessary that buried remains be present physically to be able to learn from them? In my opinion the answer is no. Knowledge of their creation, location, and purpose is enough information to learn or to deduce answers to future questions. If we as a population cannot understand the significance of such buried remains now, how are we to ever fully realize the educational potential of these items in our future? As appropriately stated by Kunani Nihipali: It is not for us, who live at this time, to decide the fate of these objects. The decision was made long ago when the personal items were placed in the cave…our function is simple; 13 it is to see that the initial decision is realized and respected. (Nihipali B2) The disturbance of remains has added a new chapter to our history and will forever change the future outcome of decisions made about this issue. It has also directly altered the education of future generations. The current process of repatriation is a journey of learning. It is my hope that we can walk away with a new and positive outlook on what has and is happening so that we can benefit from what we have experienced in our current situation. WORKS CITED Ayau, Edward Halealoha. “Native Burials: Human Rights and Sacred Bones.” Cultural Survival. 7 June 21 Conklin, Kenneth R. “NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) as applied to Hawai’i.” 2003-2005. 7 August 2006 Hicks, Robert. “Time Crime: Protecting the past in the United States” Culture Without Context 9 (2001) Roach, John. “At New American Indian Museum, Artifacts are ‘Alive’.” National Geographic News. 21 Sept 2004. 19 Nov 2006. New York State Cemetery Board. Cemeteries and Crematories: Laws, Rules and Regulations. 2002. 19 Nov. 2006 Nihipali, Kunani. “Seeking the rightful home.” Honolulu Advertiser. 25 May 2003, B1+ United States. Federal Historic Preservation Laws. Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. 31 Oct 1979. 19 Nov. 2006 < http://www.cr.nps. gov/local- law/FHPL_ArchRsrcsProt.pdf> This paper was written for English 100.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d Ayahuasca: Earth’s Wisdom Revealed by Jennifer Francisco The noted ethnologist Mircea Eliade poetically describes shamans as “technicians of the sacred” because they mediate between the world of mortals and spirits. “Shaman” is the term for an Indian tribal leader that actually performs a number of functions for the tribe including artist, healer, magician, priest, and storyteller. One of their most important jobs is leading ritual ceremonies wherein nature spirits and ancestors are contacted to advise members of the tribe. These rituals often involve mind-altering plants as well as chanting, dancing, and drumming. These experiences are lucid because the shaman and the participants are aware during the experience and can later recall its events. The shamans of the western Amazon basin use a plant called ayahuasca during these ceremonies. The role of ayahuasca in the shamanistic ceremonies of the Amazon basin is to guide the participants to another realm where they can be healed spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Ayahuasca, “vine of the soul”, is a vine that grows in northwestern South America, mainly in the Amazon basin of Peru and Brazil (Kavlin). In Plants of the Gods, Richard Schultes identifies the two species of Banisteriopsis that are most widely used for their psychedelic qualities: B. caapi and B. inebrians respectively. Both species of vine climb the trees of the tropical rainforest and are known to kill their supporters in the battle for sunlight. The vine is usually light chocolate brown and smooth with a diameter of up to six inches at the base. Its small pink flowers, rarely seen, are found only in the sun (Schultes, Hofmann, and Ratsch 36). The bark is made into a tea that is consumed at the beginning of the ceremony. The preparation of this ayahuasca tea is of the utmost importance as it affects the intensity of the experience for its partakers. Schultes mentions that the brew is made mostly of the vine part of the plant; it is cut into six inch pieces. The bark is pounded or shaved off and boiled for hours, sometimes even a full day. Another method is to soak the bark pieces in cold water for a day (Schultes, Hofmann, and Ratsch 126). Sometimes another plant, Psychotria 14 viridis, a member of the coffee family, is added to the ayahuasca before it is boiled (67). These additives can be localized depending on the country of the particular tribe. A common dose of the boiled brew is about an ounce and a half, with the effects lasting three to four hours. Schultes also notes that if one is using the cold water infusion, a larger dose is taken because it is less concentrated (126). The effects of the brew are, of course, different for every person. The main effect of the ayahuasca brew is visions. These are preceded by feelings of nausea, happiness, and anxiety (“Botanical” 151). These visions occur in color, ranging from reds and oranges to blues and greens. The visions are said to show the partaker the history of our existence; the first humans and animals, the gods, and the development of our social structure. Plants of the Gods states that many partakers speak of seeing visions of snakes and jaguars, or tigers. These animals are the most respected animals of the area, due to their power and the fear they instill in the people of the jungle. These animals are commonly seen during ayahuasca trips, so much in fact, that this phenomenon has been studied by psychologists (Schultes, Hofmann, and Ratsch 126). Depending on the plant additive used in the brew, the visions may be longer, more vivid, and in different ranges of color (129). The shaman’s job, when conducting this ceremony for a group of people, is to guide them in finding the answer they seek. A tribe member might come into the ceremony needing the remedy for an illness, solutions to family or personal problems, or simply the location of a lost or stolen object. The participant often works through very deep emotional issues, sometimes causing him to cry or scream. If the partaker approaches the ceremony with selfish, greedy purposes or has been dealing with addiction, he might experience intense visions of an object he fears, such as spiders or demons. The shaman will help participants when faced with these things. The shaman can also provide assistance if someone is physically sick during the ceremony. It is common for one to vomit or have serious diarrhea after ingesting the ayahuasca brew as it is a foreign substance in the body (“Botanical” 151). The shaman will usually take a lesser dose of the brew to avoid getting sick himself so that he can be more involved in the ceremony itself. When alone, the shaman will take large doses to enhance his own learning and teaching abilities.
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School programs, debates, workplace
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A JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC WRITING VOLUME 5

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