The Peyote Religion
The religious use peyote is very ancient. One cache of dried peyote found
in a Texas cave, has been dated at approximately 7000 years old. The use
of peyote in ceremonies among Mexican tribes was a well established tradition
by the time of the European entrance into the continent. This pre-historical
religious use eventually diffused into the North American regions. Along
with this evangelistic migration came changes in the basic ceremonies associated
with peyote.
Mexican peyotism is perhaps best typified by the traditional practices of
the Huichol tribe of the Sierra Occidental, along the pacific coast of Mexico.
Annual pilgrimages to ritually hunt the sacred cactus are still a central
part of tribal myth and ceremony. A group leader, or Mara- a-'kame leads
the humble seekers in their mythical quest "...to find our life.",
as it has been said. Only peyote gathered in this ceremonial way is suitable
for the spiritual requirements of the tribe.
The Cora and Tarahumara are related groups of people who use peyote in religious
ceremony. Cora people are known to trade for, or purchase peyote from their
Huichol neighbors, as their own traditions do not require the desert pilgrimage
to collect the sacrament.
In the mid 1800's, simultaneous with native genocide, the peyote religion
spread north, arriving at a time when indigenous people were badly in need
of spiritual uplifting and cultural strength. In the last 100 years, the
spread of peyotism has been prolific. The peyote ceremony which was introduced
to the American Plains Indians is a formalized, all-night prayer meeting,
usually held in a tepee, hogan, or peyote house especially set aside for
that purpose. Christian elements are often significantly present, depending
on the particular tribe or group leader.
Most of North American peyotism can be properly identified with the Native
American Church (NAC), a large, oftentimes unassociated group of mostly
native believers. There are numerous divisions of the NAC (NAC of North
America, NAC of Navajoland, NAC of S. Arizona, etc.), with each division
being composed of several local chapters, or moons. Each chapter normally
has officers who are trained in distinct clerical functions of the church.
The leader of a peyote meeting is known as the Road Chief, or Road Man.
This is the person who is charged with the responsibility of overseeing
the main elements of the meeting and leading others on the Peyote Road,
the way of learning to live life well. Other offices include Cedar Man,
Fire Man, Drum Man, and often, Earth Mother. Though ceremonies among different
chapters tend to vary slightly, many common elements are present in most
NAC ceremonies. An eagle bone whistle, various feather fans, water drum,
and prayer staff, are a few of the ceremonial items necessary to conduct
the prayer meeting. Central tenets of the NAC usually involve avoidance
of alcohol, devotion to family, and right living in general.
Probably the most simple, and possibly historically primitive, form of peyotism
is the vision quest, alone in nature. Usually this involves fasting, solitude,
and quiet but steady contemplation. Peyote is eaten or consumed as a tea
and a vigil is kept until such time as the communicant comes to a sense
of physical and spiritual completion. This way of experiencing the personal
qualities of the experience sounds very much like traditional stories of
the first person who was given peyote by Creator Spirit. Several tribes
relate the story of a man or woman lost in the desert. Their wandering leaves
them exhausted, starving, and dehydrated. Just at the point of giving up
all hope of life comes a voice which instructs them to reach out and take
hold of the soft and cool plant which grows just within reach of their outstretched
hands. They are then told to eat it to quench their thirst for water, food,
and guidance back to their home.
Recommended Reading: Schaefer, S. and Furst, P., (Ed.), People of the Peyote,
The Univ. of New Me xico Press, 1996.
Stewart, O.C., Peyote Religion: A History, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1987.
Anderson, E.F., Peyote the Divine Cactus, Univ. of Arizona Press, 1980.
La Barre, W., The Peyote Cult, Publications in Anthropology, Yale University,
1938.