What is the importance of peyote as a medicine for the Kiowa people?
Anna Hashem
7/12/2019
The following essay covers what peyote is, how it’s used, who its used by and its medicinal purposes. The introduction focuses on the description of peyote as a plant, not a medicine. The essay then more thoroughly enters the life of the Kiowa people, their traditions, way of life and the significance of peyote as a medicine.
Peyote and its background
Peyote is a hallucinogenic cactus containing mescaline. It is only found on limestone soils of the Chihuahuan desert of southern Texas and northern Mexico. (Petruzelo, 2016) This cactus grows underground- only its top part (“button”) is visible. (Nathan Chandler 2019). Peyote is a spineless, slow-growing plant, that can take years to reach south Texas and northern Mexico. (Nathan Chandler 2019).) Parts of the cactus crown are chewed or soaked in water to make tea. When ingested by mouth, peyote is said to be unsafe (Huttlinger, K. W, 2019)
It can cause severe vomiting, anxiety, paranoia, raise of blood pressure, heart rate and a raise of respiration rate. (Padula and Friedmann 2019)
In very few cases peyote has been fatal; however, the Kiowa people, a native American tribe, use peyote for its medicinal and hallucinogenic purposes. The traditional and spiritual use of peyote digs deep in connection with the reparation and purification of the soul.
The Kiowa
The Kiowa are a native American tribe rooted in southwestern Oklahoma. (Steven M. Schnell 2000) They originated in the Kootenay Region of British Columbia, Canada, and then migrated to Western Montana and continued to move until they inhabited present day Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. (Alexander, 2003). The Kiowa often changed their location in order to live off their nutritious environments. As they moved they encountered the land occupants; the Comanche’s. In 1790, after disputes over who can inhabit the land, they formed an alliance and agreed to share the area. The Comanche’s and Kiowa’s formed a deep bond. From that time on; the people were hunting, traveling, and fighting wars together. (Kansas historical society 2019)
The Kiowa lived a ‘typical’ Indian lifestyle. They consumed buffalo meat, vegetables, small birds, rabbits and wild potato’s. (Laura Reddish, 2015). They did very little farming but ate corn from trading with other tribes (Laura Reddish, 2015). The Kiowa are a very spiritual tribe; meaning their medicinal methods are unique, sacred and in their case, based on treasuring, taking care of and purifying the soul. Their healing methods included smoking, sweating, dancing, singing, preforming ritual performances and praying. The Kiowa found an interest in plants that not many tribes saw at the time.
The Kiowa’s relationship with peyote
The Kiowa have a unique relationship with peyote. (Davis, Wade 1996). To them, medicine was much more than what we have today. Our modern medicine revolves around killing or numbing pain, whereas the Kiowa intensified pain to afterwards, destroy it. Many other native American tribes were using their surroundings as medicine. (Stevenson 2003). The Comanche’s, placed leaves on their eyes to get rid of headaches and used leaf extract to moisturize the skin. The use of peyote to the Kiowa people is intensively spiritual (Nathan chandler 2019). They believe that this hallucinogen opens channels to their gods, purifies and cleanses your soul. (Nathan chandler, 2019). The ongoing and dreadful nausea it causes is a sign of ‘releasing the negative energy, and allowing new space to be created” (Zack fallows, 2015). According to wave Davis and Schulte’s, a person must be mentally and physically prepared to take peyote.
Peyote as a medicine
Medicinal uses for Peyote ranges; in some places in Mexico, they considered it as their “aspirin”. (Lizzy parker, 2015) Peyote is applied externally for rheumatism, wounds, burns, snakebites, and skin diseases. (Lizzy parker, 2015) When steeped in hot water to make Peyote Tea, it is ingested for illnesses such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, scarlet fever, intestinal issues, diabetes, and colds. (Lizzy parker, 2015) The dried Peyote crowns, or buttons, are applied to a toothache or, more commonly, consumed in ceremony. (Lizzy parker, 2015). Due to the importance and sacristy of peyote to the Kiowa people, their method of taking it for healing purposes is unique and eccentric. To exhaust the human body, a person wanting to take peyote for spiritual reasons by the Kiowa must expose themselves to a sweat cave for an approximate of two hours. (Davis, Wade 1996). They then enter the tipi (a small tent) to begin the ceremony. (Davis, Wade 1996). The healing ceremony consists of drummers, the roadman, a fire, the ill individual and a lot of praying. (Lizzy parker, 2015). The meeting usually lasts all night whilst the roadman or ‘healer’ sings or chants to the individual that is ill (Lizzy parker, 2015).
Significance of peyote as a medicine to the Kiowa
As mentioned above, the Kiowa have unique methods of healing themselves as well as others. The fact that the ceremony for taking peyote is so unique and valuable to the Kiowa shows the importance of this hallucinogen as a medicine. Peyote is seen as a pathway rather than a medicine. This amplifies its diverse value as a botanical hallucinogen and gives the Kiowa people spiritual importance and guidance in their life.
Works cited
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v Halpern, J. H., Sherwood, A. R., Hudson, J. I., Yurgelun-Todd, D., & Pope Jr, H. G. (2005). Psychological and cognitive effects of long-term peyote use among Native Americans. Biological psychiatry, 58(8), 624-631.
v Albaugh, B. J., & Anderson, P. O. (1974). Peyote in the treatment of alcoholism among American Indians. American journal of Psychiatry, 131(11), 1247-1250.
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v Myerhoff, B. G. (1976). Peyote hunt: The sacred journey of the Huichol Indians. Cornell University Press.
v Chandler, Nathan. “Peyote Is Endangered, Spiritually Sacred and Becoming Legal.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 July 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/peyote.htm.
v “Peyote: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-473/peyote.
v Furter, Edmond. “Mindprint Archetypes, Sequence, and Axial Grid in Peyote or Mescaline Art.” Mindprint in Art, 30 May 2019, mindprintart.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/peyote-or-mescaline-art/.
v Chandler, Nathan. “Peyote Is Endangered, Spiritually Sacred and Becoming Legal.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 July 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/peyote.htm.
v Furter, Edmond. “Mindprint Archetypes, Sequence, and Axial Grid in Peyote or Mescaline Art.” Mindprint in Art, 30 May 2019, mindprintart.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/peyote-or-m www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-473/peyote.
v “Kiowa - Southern Alliance with the Comanche.” Kansas Historical Society, www.kshs.org/kansapedia/kiowa-southern-alliance-with-the-comanche/19282.
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