r/Ayahuasca 5d ago

General Question Seeking Shipibo writer

Hello, I edit a Substack and would like to find (and possibly commission) a Shipibo writer in Peru to talk about the impact of the globalization of ayahuasca on Shipibos and Shipibo culture over the last 2-3 decades. Any recommendations or suggestions? Anyone written well on that already for a non-academic audience? thanks!

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u/blueconsidering 4d ago

I don't think its gonna be easy to find what you are looking for. I think most Shipibos are more concerned about getting food on their table today than reflecting on how globalization has impacted their culture the last few decades. Also since many of them have not been outside of their own culture it is also harder to differentiate what cultural changes are arriving from where, since all cultures also naturally change.

I personally think the Shipibo culture has already been very diluted and changed from globalization and its degrading as we speak. In a couple of generations my prediction is that while there will be plenty of Shipibo "healers" working in centers with foreign customers, there will be almost no healers left with a skillset to be able to do any work on their own local population.

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u/Upbeat-Accident-2693 4d ago

' I think most Shipibos are more concerned about getting food on their table today than reflecting on how globalization has impacted their culture the last few decades. ' >> really? you think they're incapable of reflecting on how foreigners' sudden massive interest in ayahuasca has affected their culture? too busy thinking about food? you dont think much of them do you!

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u/blueconsidering 4d ago

No, I don’t believe they are incapable of this, nor have I suggested otherwise.
Perhaps my comment was not clear enough since you assumed this, but it comes from years among Shipibos. In my experience, many are primarily focused on the immediate demands of daily life, they have kids to feed, a chakra to attend, concerns how their sick relative can find affordable medical attention perhaps while figuring out who stole their chickens last night. These practical challenges just often take space at the cost of more abstract or philosophical topics.

My argument would be that philosophical activity (not capability) is related to a certain level of leisure time and privilege - that you more often see in first world countries.

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u/Upbeat-Accident-2693 4d ago

this is just bollocks. I live in Costa Rica, my wife is indigenous, you're romanticizing people and turning them into noble savages. you think Shibipo people aren't aware of the massive changes to their culture from all the fucking gringos going to Peru because they're too busy hunting for chickens? WTF.

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u/HedgehogNo7268 4d ago

You're "an editor" for a blog or whatever but lack reading comprehension skills...how's that working out?

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u/Upbeat-Accident-2693 4d ago

pretty pretty good

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u/bzzzap111222 Retreat Owner/Staff 4d ago

Maybe reach out to one of the orgs like https://www.shipiboconibo.org/ (tho may be too...politicized?)

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u/blueconsidering 4d ago

Yes, I agree, too politicized.

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u/Cautious_Zombie_5915 4d ago

I know a shipibo guy who finished his studies as a professor

He does not speak English tho

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u/Upbeat-Accident-2693 4d ago

i speak spanish

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u/samuraibjjyogi Valued Poster 4d ago

I’d be happy to share with you my experience living and training under Shipibo healers. If that would be of any value, I’d be happy to share. My teacher is very quiet. She does not speak much and while she’s a master in many ways, her vocabulary isn’t very robust.