On ‘Moralistic Therapeutic Deism’ as US Teenagers’ Actual, Tacit, De Facto Religious Faith

Among young Manchineri Indians in Brazilian Amazonia, collective shamanic rituals involving ayahuasca create and sustain social networks and trusting relationships. For individuals aged 14 to 24, these practices link the making of the sacred, morality, and social and cultural differentiation. Shamanism produces personal relationships and relatedness not only within a person's native community and its spirit world but also with representatives from other native groups and non-native participants.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Shamanic practices continue to be carried out among many indigenous peoples in both rural and urban areas. This article deals with young Indians aged between 14 and 24 in Brazilian Amazonia and the social networks created by collective shamanic rituals. Specifically, it focuses on the ritualistic use of ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi), a hallucinogenic concoction, among the Manchineri living in Acre state, in the western part of Brazilian Amazonia. The results show that for young Indians shamanic practices are linked to the making of the sacred, morality, as well as social and cultural differentiation, contributing to the creation and maintenance of social networks and trusting relationships. Furthermore, shamanism produces personal relationships and relatedness not only within an individual's native community and its spirit world, but also with representatives from other native groups and non-native participants.