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Interview: Terence McKenna |
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Written by Scott
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Wednesday, 24 December 1997 |
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Page 4 of 4
(TM:)
Again, he was a god to me in my youth, but I was only a spear carrier in the vast opera of the 60's. I didn't know any of the great ones. I met Owsley many years later. He is a great guy with very interesting theory about the weather. And he makes wonderful object, jewelry and such.
(ED:)
Yeah, I've been waiting to see his welded sculptures on his Web site. When you've experienced Ayahuasca, which varieties of Psychotria did you use? There's a recent controversy about P. carthenogensis and whether it contains DMT? As far as I know, P. carthenogensis, alba and viridis contain DMT, but no other Psychotria species that we know of. I currently am growing P. carthenogensis, viridis, alba, bacterifolia, lugustifolia and nervosa. Are you familiar with any of these? Is there any subjective difference between the active varieties?
(TM:)
Psychotria is a huge genus, there are several native species of Psychotria right here in Hawaii, none are active, however. I believe you state the matter correctly: carthenogensis, alba and viridis contain DMT. Less scientifically, the shamans that I have studied with in the Amazon always insisted that only the Psychotria sp. that have the “espina”, the little growth points along the mid vein on the underside of the leaf, only those are active. I believe the scientific taxonomy bears this observation out.
(ED:)
Why do you think a country such as Brazil can have a functioning psychedelic church (Santo Dame, among others) in which middle class S. Americans routinely use a strong entheogen, but Americans have such an aversion to it?
(TM:)
America was founded by Protestant religious fanatics, Brazil gets its flavor from Portuguese Catholicism. Need we say more?
(TM:)
Fifteen years is a long time. The US will be last, whenever it becomes legal. I love Cannabis and use it to facilitate creative thinking. That it is still a crime to possess it is the strongest indictment I can think of the childishness of US justice. But perhaps, in the fullness of time, even that will change. Thanks for making a place for me in your magazine. I enjoyed our discussion.
(ED:)
Thank you Terence, I've also enjoyed the conversation, and I'm sure our readers will value this interview. We'll be looking for you on your Web site!
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