Icaro's and the Amazon

Amazonian Tales
Shaman in Amazonia

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role hallucinogens play in hunting and gathering societies within Amazonia. The practice of shamanism is an important aspect of understanding religious beliefs within Amazonia. I hope my paper inspires the reader to think about the importance of shamanic practices as they relate to traditional hunter - gatherer societies.

There are many religions in the World. I contend that shamanic practices should be studied like any other religion. It seems reasonable to conclude that the origins of shamanic practices date back farther than "modern" industrial civilization . Shamanic practicing societies predate instituionalized religion. In fact, before organized state religion, tribal peoples subscribed to shamanic ideologies. Shamanistic practices have been an element of the human experience for at least the last millennia and maybe for the last million years. Archaeological evidence supports the interpretation of hallucinogens as being intemetley connected with human prehistory.

Before turning to examining the prehistory of hallucinogenic use in South America, I will first outline contemporary shamanic practices particularly as they shed light on the development of the use of psycoactive plants in human history.
There are strong similarities between present day shamanism and prehistoric shamanism. This is most clearly seen in the lowlands of Amazonia. Today we see that shamanic practicing societies are still flourishing. Contemporary Amazonian
shaman's are very powerful people who are prominate figures in their societies. As Langdon persuasively suggests :
The South American Shaman is distinguished from the ordinary person in three ways which constitutes his power. First, as a master of the ecstatic experience; second, through the acquisition of auxiliary spirits via this experience; and third, through the acquisition of songs. It is the first of these, the mastering of the ecstatic experience, that makes possible the other two, for it is the ecstatic experience that enables him to meet his auxiliary spirits and leave his body to explore the extra human domains. It is also through the vision and through the auxiliary spirits that the shaman learns his songs and chants. In all cases, control of the ecstatic experience is the essential criteria of this acquired power. The pursuit of such power is a never-ending endeavor in the life of the shaman, and among those qualified as shamans some are stronger than others.
(19xx:16)

"The shaman somethimes overshawdows the chief, because the spirit world is approached through him. Women are sometimes shaman, however, this is rare. "The shaman is primarily a doctor and dectector of sorcerers, but also may act as master of ceremonies, couunselor in warfare, prophet, finder of lost goods, name gover, deppository of tradtion, weather maker, etc. A prospective shaman undergoes z long period of training under his father or teacher (mentor) during wich he diets, is instructed, aquires famielier spirits, and recieves in his body various magical substances or objects regarded as the source of his power and, when projected into victoms, as the case of disease. He is also given tobacco in various forms and other stimulants in the region, such as Datura and ayahuasca. In some tribes, the shaman recieves his magical substance from the spirit, in others from his tutor. ... In the Western Amazon, he is associated with the jaguar (p. 682). There is no evidence that shamans of this area manifest epileptic or other abnormal tandencies, but trances, usually induced by drugs, are not uncommon. ... Among ythe powers widely claimed by shamans is the ability to transform themselves into jaguars (p. 50, S. A. Indians )".
Shamanistic powers are obtained primarily through the memorization of magical songs or chants referred to in the Peruvian Amazon as "Icaros." Shamans learn "from the spirits of plants, animals, stones, lakes, and so on, either during visions produced by ayahuasca, or in dreams"(Luna 19xx: 233). The meaning of the term Icaro varies throughout Amazonia, but it is usually associated with the aquisition of magical songs, chants and whistling. The term Icaro is a Spanish term derived from the Quicha verb "ikaray." It means to literally heal by blowing smoke.

During my time in the region (April - May, 1996) I became aquainted with this practice on a number of occaisions. My participation in an a ayahuasca ceremony triggered my interest in the study of Icaros. Shamans in this region use Icaros when they sing and whistle in their ritual cures. In addition to their association with healing, Icaros are also used in many fishing expeditions, and are associated with hunting.

Psychotropic use in Amazonia:
The relationship between the consumption of psychotropic plants and the
learning of sacred chants is wide spread throughout Amazonia. In this region the use of psychedelics (such as Datura and Banisteriopsis Caapi) is the most common form for learning the chants, as can be seen by descriptions of the Matsigenaka, Shipibo, Siona, Sibundoy, Urarina, Agaruna, Kayapo, Yanomami and of course the Meztizo shamans.

The process of ingesting the hallucinogen and the events that follow are difficult to explain. Few anthropologists have suceeded in effectively describing this process. However, there are shamans throught Amazonia who all descibe similar experiences. The practice usually occurrs in a rainforest struture called a Maloka or a longhouse. The shaman is the leader of this architecural domain. There may be other people who using hallucinogens during the ceremonial event: all will soon go into an ecstatic trance. However, the shaman who is the master of the ayahuasca ceremony will generally guide or "control" other peoples'
hallucinogenic experiences. Many Amazonian people believe that during the ayahuasca ceremonies the shaman's soul enters the realm of the spirits. It is believed that the soul or fragments of the soul enter into body of animals, such as eagles,
condors, boas, eels, or jaguars. These experiences are chronicled in many indigenous peoples' myths, legends, and folklore. During the ceremony, the shaman will temporarily assume the body of the chosen animal, and then return to his original
human form. Once the shaman's soul has departed, a visitor spirit or guardian spirit takes over the body of the shaman and appears to those who are watching and listening to the chants and Icaro's. Aided by the Icaros, the
shaman is able to become one with the animal and see the world according to a radically new perspective. I refer to this experience as the "transformation of the self." This occurrence is also known as "Dream
Ego" as defined by Fisher (1965: 235), who also uses the peculiar Christian term "free soul." (which I admitedly do as well!). Illius puts it this way: "[the] dream ego may temporarily leave the body (as in dreams, unconsciousness, and ecstasy)." (19xx:76). One should note that Illius and Fisher, both of whom are respected scholars in the Anthropological world, are deeply interested in this sacred event.

The process of becoming a shaman and knowing how to journey into the spirit world is a long and arduous one. It requires years of training. When a person is first learning to become a shaman, they must go through a rigorous training period which
includes isolation and sexual abstinence for periods of up to a year, sometimes even more. To facilitate this learning process, the novitate may assist the master shaman for as long as he/she wishes or as long as he/she is able. The student may also travel to visit other shamans in other ethnic groups. (This has obvious implications for understanding the political evolution or development of contemporary and prehistoric hunter gatherer societies. Eventually, with enough practice, the student/shaman in training may become more knowledgeable than the teacher. This is not surprising given that Amazonian shamanism is a verbal tradition which is handed down from one generation to the next in an informal education process. This tradition is very important to understanding hierarchy in these societies. Their is a great deal of respect for those who study with the wise shamans. The new shaman sacrifices many earthly delights while he/ she is traveling the long path to become a shaman. During the aforementioned "training", the shaman learns the Icaros. In fact, all shamans who use hallucinogens know a variety of Icaros. The number and quality of a persons Icaros is considered an accurate gauge of their knowledge and power of as a shaman. Thus the shaman becomes a master of the estatic experience. Langdon notes that the "other side" is a that function in what she calls time" All aspects of human forces from the "other side" (19xx:43) of the universe is full of spirit forces "non ordinary space and existence are influenced by the other side of reality.

As noted, describing the hallucinogenic experience from a western "anthropological perspective" may be difficult considering that magic or witchcraft are themselves not only difficult to define, but controversial in nature. Keep in mind that the culturally prescribed world-view of hallucinogenic using societies are usually not anthropocentric in character . In Amazonia, indigenous people consider themselves to be intimately connected to the sacred and living tropical biosphere. Langdon puts it well: "The surface of the earth called the first heaven, is the dwelling place of humans & animals. In ordinary everyday reality the forces that influence events are hidden, but the Siona know of another reality in which the embodied forces are visible. They speak of these two realities as "the two "This side" is that in which we normally operate. It is characterized by three principle habitats- the jungle, the river, and homesteads - each with distinctive inhabitants. The jungle is the home of the wild animals. The jaguar with its power and strength is the dominating figure of the jungle. The river is the domain of the water animals & fish; the anaconda is the ruler there. The homesteads belong, of course to the Siona with their domesticated animals and plants; the shaman is the leader of this realm." (Langdon 19xx:42)

This cosmic perspective on the nature of soial life is generally one that is foreign to members of western industrialized cultures. As such, shamanic rituals are best understood in terms of one' s own imaginative capacity (inner reflection).
Anthropologists have tried to document what actually occurs however, it is hard to document the supernatural. Under the hallucinogenic effects of the psychotropic substance, what occurrs on "this side of reality" is a feeble imitation of what is experience on the other side of reality (Langdon 19xx:14, 59). In most cases, the shaman employs his own sacred personalized power in public rituals for the benefit of the wider community, or for the asstance of ailing individuals. Through the hallucinogenic ceremony, the shaman mediates the tremendous power unleashed by exposure to the spirits from the 'other side.' These spiritual agents are employed to cure sickness, to negotiate with the master spirits of animals and fish to obtain sustenance, and to forsee the future. They can employ their Clearly this gives the dangerous--position
shamanic power to inflict harm. shaman a prestigious--yet within the society.

Shamanism provides a direct link with the issue of social hierarchy and prestige. The master shamans is a very powerful person in the community. The master shaman can mediate between two separate realities. The shaman is one of the few individuals on the planet who can experience this "unknown" phenomena. Throughout the centuries indigenous peoples in western Amazonia have been in contact with the Europeans (Spaniards, Portugese) and mestizos. As a result they experienced rapid depopulation and social chaos. As a result the shaman became not only the spiritual leader but also the political leader of the community.
A shaman who views life in this way is an endangered ideology. This cultural practice is highly beneficial to the community as well.

Shamanic ideologies are taught to the shaman from spirits which live in nature. The spirits may be animals or from a deceased shaman. During the period of apprenticeship, the shaman must experience long periods of isolation, food restrictions, and the ingestion of the psychotropic substances. Under the influence of ayahuasca, a Meztizo might see a vision of a Anaconda. If the students are not frightened, the snake begins to teach the person it's songs called the Icaros. The idea that certain plants teach magic melodies seems intimately linked with the consumption of hallucinogens. Most societies in the Amazon use hallucinogens as Luna explains in the following quote. "Indian and Mestizo populations of Caqueta', in Columbia, and in the providence's of Loreto, Ucayali, and Madras de Deios in Peru. In the state of Acre Brazil, there are communities who ingest the brew under the name Santo Daime." (19xx:235) All of these communities possess a knowledge of these magic songs. Some
community members have memorized up to three thousand songs.

As far as the archaeological records are concerned we see certain clues to suggest hallucinogenic use spanning thousands of years. In western Amazonia, there is a strong association between the jaguar and shamanism, and we see evidence for this association going back as far as the Moche period. We see jaguars and humans on their pottery. Through an extensive review of archaeological, ethno-historical, and ethnological literature one sees evidence of hallucinogenic use that points directly to contemporary shamanic practices. Among the Inca, and Aztec, one notes the use of jaguars on pottery & in other art work. Certainly one may ask, is this reliable enough data to legitimately say that the Aztec used hallucinogens? What does it tell us? I assume that this is still the same belief that is practiced today. However, we have no historical evidence to back this hypothesis. According to Reichel - Dolmatoff (1975) who has described what he calls "a shaman - jaguar complex" found among many indigenous groups of Central and South America, and in particular among those of Colombia. The central characteristic of this complex is the association of shamans with jaguars and the belief that shamans have the power to be transformed into jaguars. The jaguar, however, according to Pollock, "is a solitary animal, a dangerous hunter, quintessentially wild. The carnivorous jaguar is associated with the wild men who hunt in the jungle and contribute meat."(29; Donald Pollock)
Other animals, including the eel, and the jaguar are used during the variety of reasons. "healing, for shamans for causing harm, all hunters & are extremely good at imitating animals". the eagle, the condor, the boa, transformation of the self for a protection, or, in the case of evil the informants claim to be good". (Luna)

"Through the Icaros the shaman is able to "become one" with the animal and see the world accordingly. Shamans are also able to see the movements of game animals in dreams, and are able to call game animals forth from the underground world where they live as spirits, so they may be hunted in the jungle." (27; Donald Pollock)

There is a direct association of using hallucinogens and hunting in these societies. In order to understand hunting within Amazonia you must understand hallucinogenic use among these tribal peoples. It is an integral part of the whole co-existence of Amazonian peoples and their nautral environment. While these kind of life ways are now extant; who knows how much longer they will be around. Who knows how long they have been going on this way? I would assume at least since the Moche period--a time where we see jaguars on pottery (which shows support hallucinogenic use). The jaguar signifies the transformation of the self. I personally believe that humans have been using hallucinogens since hominids became cognitive thinkers (also see McKenna).

"Regardless of the linguistic family or cultural subdivision to which the groups belongs, similar conceptions and use of hallucinogens to establish a direct contact with the supernatural sphere are towards. In the northwestern Amazon, one center of this complex is the Putamayo, where Yage' is used as the principal hallucinogen" (Reichel - Dolmatoff 1975:36).

The shaman acts as a mediator between this realm and the "other side". Thus understanding the forces of nature that goes unknown by most. Thus he "...protects his tribe from dangerous illnesses and hunger, and is able to do so because of his links with the guardian and auxiliary spirits. By the means of ingestion of the tobacco & hallucinogens, he can recognize the extraordinary, hidden reality and see future events (the gift of clairvoyance) The shaman is a seer. Thanks to clairvoyance, he recognizes the cases of illnesses, death, and other disruptions of the social equilibrium. In times of starvation he can ask the pure spirits, and especially the master spirits of the game, to give his group meat, and thereby avert hunger. He can foresee impending harm in dreams or trances". (232; Cosmic Zygote)

The shamans have many abilities that are viewed as magical or sometimes impossible; such as the case of the most advanced shaman who can supposedly go to the moon (59; Langdon). The learning process of a shaman is one that is never ending, as he tries to continually enhance his power and knowledge. Shamans specialize in hunting, curing and visiting animals spirits. The shaman cures the sick by means of understanding which spirits are responsible and knowing what songs or chants which will heal. Shamans who possess this extraordinary ability are powerful individuals whose goal is power. The Shaman is the respected person in the The Dau is similar to east; the yin yang; the knowledge which leads to most community. the Daoist point of view of the universal truth. There are similarities to the eastern religions of the world which I hope are self explanatory (See Tibetian book of the Dead). Shamanism within Amazonia is important and I believe must be considered one of the worlds religions. I believe it is as important as any of the major religions of the world.

Today we face a vast loss of rainforest. The loss of the jungles leads to the loss of the biological diversity within these regions. The worlds population is expanding at a rapid exponential pace. According to Felix Moos we will be at approximately at 10-12 billion people in 50 years. This kind of overcrowding needs space. The fact is at this rate we will lose our rainforests & their biological and cultural diversity. All the Indians will eventually be Meztizo and lose traditional dialects and slowly assimilate into the first world which offers proper sanitation, health care, education & all of its comforts. Thus understanding the destruction of the jungle equals the destruction of the jaguar. I ask you: How will this effect shamanism? The importance of the animals within the jungle will effect the whole chain of events that will eventually lead to cultural extinction and life ways of Amazonian Indians just as the Native Americans of this country lost their life ways. The rainforest teach us a value lesson if we will listen; everything is connected. All life is together.

Having taken the time to learn about shamans and their honorable and unusual practices, it should be incredibly simple to understand the significance of preserving such ancient knowledge. This is an ancient tradition that must be documented before it is too late. The many hundreds of Icaro's that are undocumented will be lost forever if we do not record and study them before the ancient tradition fully disappears from the memory of mankind. We certainly are destroying biological diversity and cultural diversity. Those old ways of the preliterate societies are now extant. This research should be considered as important as saving any of the endangered species on the planet, it is extremely interesting and should be carried out with urgency before the ancient knowledge is gone forever. As for the future of our race we are about to enter into the new millennium; technology and change are leading us into the space age. No one knows how much longer the Earth can withstand the abuse that humans have done to the planet. At some point we will extinguish ourselves. This may or may not be the course for the species. However, we have not gotten to that point yet. We still have a chance to make important decsions on the indigenous societies on the planet. When they go we will loose a vital element of the past. We used to have a deep knowledge of communicating with nature as seen from the modern shamans. Today that knowledge has escaped us entirely. Modern man has slowly forgotten his/her origins. The world today revolves around anthropocentrism. There is no room for left for people who live the ancient way of life. At one time in history shamanic practices was an intregal part of daily life.

Today this ancient belief is found in limited areas on the planet. Is there a need to recognize our animal selves as the indigenous people of the planet mirror our selves back to us. this is the purpose of cultural anthropology - To see who we once were!

Source: http://insidethemindofjoshuafinley.blogspot.com/2010/08/icaros-and-amazon.html