Current use of holy mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe in a Zapotec community in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The use of Psilocybe zapotecorum, called Hongo Borracho, Hongo Santo, or in Zapotec Ni'to be'ya, for healing and divination continues in the Zapotec community of El Peral, San Antonino El Alto in Oaxaca, but its use is decreasing and the mushrooms are more difficult to find, likely due to changing climatic patterns. Some community members still sell these mushrooms. For the Zapotecs of El Peral, the mushrooms can do whatever is asked of them according to a ritual, and they are aware that outsiders use them recreationally, though they do not oppose it. This is the first formal record of Psilocybe mushroom use among Zapotecs of the Valles Centrales Region.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The use of psychoactive Psilocybe mushrooms as entheogens by the Mazatecs of Oaxaca became known to the world in 1957. While the Mazatec Region has been the focus of research, historical records indicate that other indigenous groups in Mexico, including the Zapotecs, also used these mushrooms for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. However, the linguistic, cultural and ecological diversity of the Zapotec people suggests that their practices cannot be generalised. In contemporary times, changes in cultural and environmental factors, as well as the rise of psychedelic tourism, have contributed to the transformation and commodification of these traditions. The purpose of this paper was to document the changes in the use, customs and knowledge of Psilocybe species in a Zapotec community in the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca. Through informal in-depth interviews, 30 people from the community of El Peral, San Antonino El Alto were interviewed. These testimonies were recorded in a field diary and entered into a database for categorical analysis. In this way, it was possible to document that the use of Psilocybezapotecorum, called Hongo Borracho or Hongo Santo and in Zapotec Ni'to be'ya, for healing and divinatory purposes, continues in the community. However, its use is decreasing and the mushrooms are more difficult to find, likely due to changing climatic patterns, according to those interviewed. We found that there are still people dedicated to the sale of these mushrooms. For the Zapotecs of El Peral, these mushrooms can do whatever is asked of them according to a ritual, but they are aware that outsiders used them for recreational purposes, although they did not oppose it. This study underscores the importance of documenting and understanding cultural practices related to mushrooms, as well as the need to address environmental challenges that affect their availability and traditional use. Finally, this is the first formal record of the use of Psilocybe mushrooms amongst Zapotecs of the Valles Centrales Region in Oaxaca.