Shaman during a healing ceremony in the Ecuadorian Amazon 10 Aug 2017
About this photo
Shamans are the individuals who preserve the oral histories, myths, legends, and other belief systems of their peoples in Ecuador. Many shamans devote their time to curing diseases through traditional rituals. The most important tools they all employ are hallucinogenic substances extracted from jungle plants. The vine known as ayahuasca (vine of the soul) is a powerful hallucinogen. Using drum rhythms and other musical patterns, vocal incantations and the light of fires, the shamans guide those who have drunk potions derived from ayahuasca to see visions based on the symbolism and mythology of their cultures. This communion with their ancestral past and the supernatural is a continuous source of social and cultural cohesion for indigenous Amazonians. Venture into the Amazon on Insight Guides' Wild Ecuador: From the Amazon to the Galapagos Islands trip.
This article was originally published on 14th December, 2015
