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MEDICINAL PLANTS<br />
Body, spirit... and a touch of magic<br />
Medicinal<br />
plants from<br />
deepest<br />
Peru<br />
By<br />
Iñigo Maneiro<br />
The Matsé ethnic group that lives in the border forests<br />
between Peru and Brazil, created the first<br />
encyclopedia of indigenous medicine in 2015.<br />
The book has five hundred pages and was written by<br />
hand by five tribal elders. During its production, the<br />
five Matsé elders met with eleven heads of the different<br />
communities to share their knowledge. The manuscript<br />
exists but the Matsé forbid its reproduction<br />
and translation for fear of plagiarism. And their fear is<br />
entirely justified. Many pharmaceutical companies finance<br />
research projects into the plants used by the<br />
shamans of the Amazon basin, with a view to developing<br />
new drugs. 80% of the medicines used today<br />
have been synthesised in the laboratory but are based<br />
on plant extracts.<br />
Peruvians, even those living in the cities, have a healthy<br />
respect for those who cure illnesses with plants; we<br />
recognise their wisdom and the immense power of<br />
many vegetable species. The art of curing is passed<br />
from one generation to the next. In the hands of strong<br />
and wise men and women, plants, living beings like<br />
us, give their lives to transmit their anti-inflammatory,<br />
relaxing, immunising, haemostatic, digestive, healing,<br />
hallucinogenic and other properties. But they also<br />
transmit the spirit of the plant, not just its stalk and<br />
leaves.<br />
Most markets in Lima and the provinces<br />
have medicinal plant stalls.<br />
Iñigo Maneiro
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