Spirituality, drugs, and tourism: tourists’ and shamans’ experiences of ayahuasca in Iquitos, Peru

Abstract

This study critically evaluates the complex inter space of spirituality, drugs, and tourism through tourists' and shamans' accounts of ayahuasca tourism in Iquitos, Peru. Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage traditionally consumed for spiritual and health purposes. Using microethnography, one of the researchers was immersed for one month in the tourism experience of ayahuasca. The findings reveal the ambivalent nature of tourists' experiences and the changing meaning and practices of ayahuasca. Tourists' encounters with ayahuasca were perceived as spiritual due to better understanding and perception of 'self' and 'others'. Shamans' encounters with tourists were mostly positive but negative consequences on their practices were evident. The study highlights issues of fluidity, positionality, and self-identification of roles in tourism. ARTICLE HISTORY

Review of Optimism, Creativity, and Spirituality in Tourism Research

“…Spirituality is also seen as a cultural endeavor or resource ( (Fonneland, 2013;Gezon, 2017) with positive outcomes but also negative on local culture as seen with the Aboriginal community on Smith, Scherrer, and Dowling (2009) study. As in our introduction, spirituality is considered a more individual experience where a search for a connection with something bigger or pursuing meaning on life is sought ((Moal-Ulvoas, 2017;Prayag, Mura, Hall & Fontaine, 2016;Singh, 2009;Willson, McIntosh, & Zahra, 2013). The increasing importance of spirituality on tourism is also clear on Barkathunnisha, Lee and Price (2016) study where it is explored a possible model to include it in tourism education.…”

“…The studies followed mostly a qualitative approach which is not surprising since spirituality is a complex construct, aligned with personal experiences that need a more in-depth and individual methodology to be understood. Results showed that tourism experiences can be or can lead to spiritual enrichment (Cheer, Belhassen & Kujaw, 2017;Moal-Ulvoas, 2017;Prayag, Mura, Hall & Fontaine, 2016;Singh, 2009;Willson, McIntosh & Zahra, 2013). Spirituality is also seen as a cultural endeavor or resource ( (Fonneland, 2013;Gezon, 2017) with positive outcomes but also negative on local culture as seen with the Aboriginal community on Smith, Scherrer, and Dowling (2009) study.…”

“…(Prayag, Mura, Hall & Fontaine, 2016) Drug-induced tourism experiences can be spiritual to people. (Singh, 2009) Tourism is a spiritual activity linked to human values and society and can be seen as a holistic process.…”

The enchanted snake and the forbidden fruit: the ayahuasca ‘fairy tale’ tourist

“…This is not to suggest that mental and imaginary experiences cannot be profoundly meaningful, but just that they hold little weight in the eyes of Westerners embedded within non-supernatural cosmologies (Philip, 2003;Uriely & Belhassen, 2005). Troublingly though, drinking ayahuasca and adopting indigenous views of a supernatural universe, are acts that invite criticism and stigmatisation from the typical Westerner who regards these practices as tantamount to drug use and the beliefs of the mentally ill (Crocker, Major & Steele., 1998;Goffman, 1963;Prayag, 2015aPrayag, , 2015bWinkelman, 2001). These negative views of psychedelics have existed for hundreds of years in the West, with an on-going critical stance towards those who eat this forbidden fruit (Boyd, 2002;Kehoe, 2000;Siff, 2015).…”

“…Thus, and in the first six months after returning home, all tourists were invited to speak to the author whenever they felt inclined to do so. This resulted in the tourists frequently contacting the author, driven by their concerns about being stigmatised as mentally ill drug users, should they mention their ayahuasca experiences to friends, family, and work colleagues (Prayag, 2015a(Prayag, , 2015bTupper, 2008).…”