Psychedelics have guided human perception for millennia, yet the current 'psychedelic renaissance' is dominated by Western science and academia, sidelining the Indigenous peoples who have used these substances for thousands of years. This literature review catalogs the role of Indigenous practices in psychedelic healing and argues that structural racism has excluded Indigenous voices from contemporary conversations, despite their deep experiential knowledge of benefits and risks. The paper covers ancient and modern history (from the 1940s to present), outlines current scientific research on healing potential, and calls for the convergence of Indigenous knowledge and science, urging the scientific community to include BIPOC communities.
Psychedelics have guided human perception for millennia, yet the current 'psychedelic renaissance' is dominated by Western science and academia, sidelining the Indigenous peoples who have used these substances for thousands of years. This literature review catalogs the role of Indigenous practices in psychedelic healing and argues that structural racism has excluded Indigenous voices from contemporary conversations, despite their deep experiential knowledge of benefits and risks. The paper covers ancient and modern history (from the 1940s to present), outlines current scientific research on healing potential, and calls for the convergence of Indigenous knowledge and science, urging the scientific community to include BIPOC communities.