"Don't
Think Twice, It's Alright" or
The
Evolution of the Peyote Religion in Plains Indians
Natives are
generally notorious for their intense spirituality that overlaps into and
dominates many aspects of their life.
Throughout history, they have displayed an astounding adaptability to
physical, mental, and spiritual conditions. Bits and pieces of the ancient Mogollon, Hohokam, or Anasazi cultures, to the Gaiwiio are still
preserved in Native American traditions. The peyote cactus has
been used for thousands of years; it has been and is highly regarded for
the visions it can give, in some cases purification, healing, indecision, and a
range of other curative (not just physically) functions. This pathfinder is
meant to provide some sources that were necessary in the compilation of
information relating to the spread of peyote throughout Plains Indian cultures
from the lower
Primary
Sources
Aberle, David
F.. The
Peyote Religion Among the Navaho. 2nd ed.
Aberle's
exhaustively researched book is a wealth of information about the varied peyote
ceremonies as well as a detailed and thoughtful presentation as to the factors
of relative deprivation on reservations that made Indians more receptive to the
new religion. It focuses on the
Navaho specifically with large chunks dedicated to research regarding livestock
reduction on the reservation. It
was extremely helpful in the analyses given about the peyote rites in its
various forms.
Aberle, David F.;
Stewart, Omer C..
Anthropological Papers Number 108.
These
papers provide new information relating to new historical material regarding the
contact of peyote in the
Stewart,
Omer C..
Peyote Religion: A History.
This book
is a chronological history of the peyote religion. It discusses the development of peyote
in
La Barre, Weston.
The Peyote Cult. 5th. ed.
La Barre's book gives "an integrated comparative treatment of
the [peyote] religion" (page 9).
His studies of various Native cultures that all partake in the
sacramental use of peyote were a precursor to Stewart's Peyote
Religion. Main points of
interested covered are the origins of peyote in
Secondary
Sources
"Mind-Altering
Rock Art." Science News.
20 July 1996: 41.
This weekly
publication is available online as well as by mail. It gives updates about scientific
discoveries, theories, etc. This
article aided in gathering archeological evidence to the longstanding
relationship between Indians and peyote. Information about this magazine can be found online at http://www.sciencenews.org/
Roscoe,
Will. "Book Reviews."
American Indian Quarterly. Winter 1993:
146.
American
Indian Quarterly is “a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal of the
anthropology, history, literature, and arts of Native North Americans. Wide-ranging in its coverage of issues
and topics, the AIQ is devoted to charting and inciting debate about the altest developments in method and theory” (
Kiyaani, Mike;
Csordas, Thomas J.. "On the
Natural
History Magazine has ten issues per year and covers a range of different issues
involving “nature, science, and culture.” In this article, J. Csorda interviews Mike Kiyaani. He
also aided Aberle in his studies of Navaho peyotism and has been a road man
for forty some-odd years. His
long-standing in the peyote community is highly-respected. It can be found
online at http://www.naturalhistorymag.com/
Stewart,
Omer C.. "Anthropological Theory and History of Peyotism." Ethnohistory. Summer 1979:
280
Ethnohistory is a
quarterly journal published by Duke University Press. It is concerned with anthropological and
historical approaches to indigenous minorities. There are numerous respected contributors
to the content of the journal, and the journal encourages “theoretical and
cross-cultural” exchanges of ideas.
It can be found online at http://www.dukeupress.edu/ethnohistory/
Supreme
Court Cases: The
EBSCO was a
humongous aid during the process of this research, which found this detailed
report from the Supreme Court Case about the two Native Americans who were fired from a drug rehabilitation center for ingesting
peyote religiously. Information
regarding this journal can be found at http://www.library.armstrong.edu/subguidecriminal.html
Fikes, Jay. “A Brief History of
the
The Council
on Spiritual Practices is studying entheogens or the
benefits from incorporating hallucinogens into spiritual rituals. “The Council [also] monitors developments
in related fields such as psychology, sociology, and the
neurosciences.” This information was helpful in gaining
an overview of Native spiritual practices, mostly in its relationship with the
Native American Church as well as other such organizations within Indian
communities.