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Rapé
Rapé (pronounced ha-pay) has been used by indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin for thousands of years. The preparation of powdered herbs plays an important role in their tribal culture and history.
WHAT IS RAPÉ?
Rapé is a complex mix of various plants of the Amazon, with the main ingredient usually being Nicotiana rustica, a strong tobacco. Rapé can have a stimulating and psychoactive effect, depending on what plants are used to make it. Taken during shamanistic ceremonies, it can bring on profound experiences. The shaman consider rapé to be sacred. They take it for prayer rituals to call upon the forces of nature for healing and curing purposes, and to receive the blessings of the rainforest. It is believed that indigenous tribes in South America have used tobacco for various purposes as far back as the Mayan civilization.
The main ingredient in rapé is Nicotiana rustica, but the preparation is normally infused with other finely-ground plant materials or alkaline ashes. These may include tonka bean, cinnamon, camphor, banana peel, and other materials. Some rapé preparations contain hallucinogenic plants such as macambo, anadenanthera, chacruna, virola, and others. Shamanic tribes will normally keep the exact ingredients of their rapé a secret.
THE HISTORY AND ORIGINS OF RAPÉ
Among the tribes of South America, rapé is used for various ceremonial purposes. Some tribes are known to use it regularly after meals. The particular effects of rapé will vary depending on occasion and the full list of ingredients involved in its preparation.
The pulverised rapé powder, which is normally blown up into one’s nostrils by another person with a pipe, causes an intense effect that opens up the mind, releasing physical, emotional, and spiritual illnesses. The high nicotine content in the mix has a stimulating effect and releases hormones such as epinephrine, acetylcholine, and dopamine, leading to increased clarity and heightened awareness.
The healers of the rainforest use rapé to rebalance their energies and to connect with their higher selves and the universe. The rapé ritual is also regarded as a way to cleanse and detoxify the body.
WHAT IT DOES
Among the tribes of South America, rapé is used for various ceremonial purposes. Some tribes are known to use it regularly after meals. The particular effects of rapé will vary depending on occasion and the full list of ingredients involved in its preparation.
The pulverised rapé powder, which is normally blown up into one’s nostrils by another person with a pipe, causes an intense effect that opens up the mind, releasing physical, emotional, and spiritual illnesses. The high nicotine content in the mix has a stimulating effect and releases hormones such as epinephrine, acetylcholine, and dopamine, leading to increased clarity and heightened awareness.
The healers of the rainforest use rapé to rebalance their energies and to connect with their higher selves and the universe. The rapé ritual is also regarded as a way to cleanse and detoxify the body.
Using it during a psychedelic ceremony can help you if you get stuck in something you can’t get out of. It will bring immediate focus. If you feel sick in the ceremony it can help you purge (vomit). But it all depends on whether you can handle the sometimes strong effect. That’s why we do a ceremony in the afternoon, to get to know the medicine. We have a Rapé without tobacco too. We consider it to be a powerful medicine.
