This presentation was delivered at Oxford University in December 2024, hosted by the Oxford Psychedelic Society. Here, I look at the history and cultural significance of rapé, a sacred Amazonian snuff used by Indigenous peoples in healing and ceremonial contexts. Made from powdered Nicotiana rustica tobacco blended with plant ashes and other ingredients that vary by group, rapé is used to address the spiritual dimension, cleanse, focus, and strengthen connections with ancestors and the living forest.
Drawing on examples from several Indigenous communities in the Middle Purus region, I discuss how rapé reflects Indigenous understandings of health, spirituality, and reciprocity with other-than-human beings. The talk also examines rapé’s growing popularity beyond Indigenous contexts, raising ethical questions regarding appropriation, commodification, and the protection of Indigenous sovereignty and knowledge.
