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Written by The Wraith
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Tuesday, 21 December 1999 |
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Page 1 of 16
VlROLA (EBEÑA)
Virola theiodora (Spr.) Warb.
Myristicaceae
Tropical zones of Central and South America
Most, if not all, species of Virola have a copious red “resin” in the inner bark. The resin from a number of species is prepared as an hallucinogenic snuff or small pellets.
Probably the most important species is Virola theiodora, a slender tree 25-75 ft (7.5-23 m.) in height, native to the forests of the western Amazon basin. The cylindrical trunk, 11/2 ft (46cm) in diameter, has a characteristic smooth bark which is brown mottled with gray patches. The leaves (with a tea-like fragrance when dried) are oblong or broadly ovate, 31/2-13 in. (9-33 cm) long, 11/2-41/2 in. (4-11 cm) wide. The male inflorescences are many-flowered, usually brown or gold-hairy, shorter than the leaves; the very small flowers, borne singly or in clusters of 2 to 10, are strongly pungent.
The fruit is subglobose, 3/8-3/4 in. (1-2 cm) by 1/4-5/8 in. (1/2-11/2 cm); the seed is covered for half its length by a membranaceous, orange-red aril.
SEMEN OF THE SUN
At the beginning of time, Father Sun practiced incest with his daughter who acquired Viho by scratching her father’s penis. Thus the Tukano received this sacred snuff from the sun’s semen. And since its still hallowed, it is kept in containers called muhipu-nuri, or “penis of the sun”.
This hallucinogen enables the Tukano to consult the spirit world, especially Viho-mahse, the “snuff-person,” who, from his dwelling in the Milky Way, tends all human affairs.
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