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Exploring traditions of psychedelic use in Ireland and Canada: land, language and post-colonial cultural revival
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This research day brought together leading voices from Ireland and Canada to explore traditions of plant medicines in both countries.
The event aimed to establish the psychedelic humanities in Ireland, at UCC, and to share reflections on different traditions of indigenous psychedelic stewardship in a way which will make a distinctive contribution both to national discussions of cultural renewal and to international calls for ‘psychedelic justice’ (Cavnar & Labate): the demand for recognition of the unique role indigenous cultures play as guardians and custodians of plant medicines at a time when biomedical research is becoming increasingly enthusiastic about their therapeutic possibilities in other settings.
The event was supported by UCC Futures - Collective Social Futures, the Radical Humanities Laboratory, the French department and CASiLaC.
Programme
Morning Presentations
- Manchán Magan, ‘Rewilding the Mind’
- Kelly Daniels, ‘Plains Cree Creation Stories’
Afternoon Workshops
Canada and Ireland – Indigeneity, land, traditions (Chair: Sarah Bezan)
- Reanna Daniels, ‘Beyond psychedelics: Indigenous perspectives and traditions’
- James Kelly, ‘Landspeak: listening to land, language and legacy; looking to the future’
- Louise Allen, ‘Animals + Elements– Nature signals: finding wisdom in the wild’
- Chris Read, ‘The Archaeological Record’
Psychedelic plants, funghi and the Otherworld (Chair: Sophie Casey)
- Courtney Tyler, ‘Echoes of the Otherworld: Fly Agaric in myth and mystery’
- Ciara Sherlock, ‘The Spirit of the Liberty Cap: connecting to our land and ourselves through native plant medicine’
- Rosari Kingston, ‘The Otherworld's Living Presence: Continuity from Myth to the Early 20th Century’
Psychedelic Humanities (Chair: Oliver Davis)
- Danny Forde, ‘Love is everything – phenomenology of a psychedelic claim’
- Erika Dyck, ‘Beyond psychedelics: historical perspectives on the psychedelic resurgence’
For more on this story contact:
Dr Oliver Davis, UCC. odavis@ucc.ie