Cure in the Brazilian ayahuasca religions 29
illnesses is associated with this idea of the Daime as a “plant that teaches”.
Accordingly, the Daime is a vegetable animated being that teaches and can
therefore reveal the presence of a disease, sometimes even unknown, in the
body of the one who ingests it. It can help the healing, working as a drug to
treat a specific disease, also having an oracle role when it points, in some
cases, to the need for administration of other drugs.
However, it is important to highlight that the elements of the traditions of
the Peruvian ayahuasca vegetalismo are resignified in the daimist cult, now
appearing associated with conceptions and practices of another cultural and
religious complex. Besides the ayahuasca vegetalism, a whole set of elements
of the so called popular Brazilian Catholicism was triggered for the formation
of the new religion founded by Mestre Irineu in Rio Branco, as highlighted in
other studies[3,5]. Based on the analysis made by different authors[7,8], it is
possible to identify in the organization of the Daime rituals, many aspects of
the tradition of popular Catholicism saint festivals, strongly disseminated
throughout the ancient rural Brazil. Ancient forms of worship, such as
celebrating a saint’s day with dance and a feast of typical regional food were
being associated with the use of the Daime. Therefore the “work of hymnals”
originates, which consisted in the gathering of the believers to sing and dance
hymnals in a set of specific dates, generally following the Christian calendar,
especially dates that celebrate some saints.
As mentioned, when Mestre Irineu begins to organize his cult in Rio
Branco, his ceremonies consisted primarily in healing “works” or
“sessions” with the Daime. The structure of these “works” involved a few
elements, the main one being the consumption of the Daime itself done
either by the patient as by other participants. Gradually, however, the ritual
structure of this religion becomes more complex. Mestre Irineu starts
summarizing his experiences with the Daime in hymns, songs that are
understood by these followers as a result of the connection with the
spiritual world. Over time, several of the early followers of the cult founded
by Mestre Irineu will also express their experiences with the Daime in the
same fashion “receiving” their own hymns. This first group of daimists, led
by Mestre Irineu, gradually organizes the whole ritual of religion.
Meetings were made to “take” the Daime and sing with fervor the hymns
received by Mestre Irincu and some of his followers. The tradition of
festivals for Christian saints was followed with enthusiasm by both Mestre
Irineu and many of these carly believers of the daimist cult. So, gradually,
some dates that celebrated Christian saints were selected for the times when
taking Daime and singing hymns were wanted. Thereby, a Daime ritual
calendar was being made and over time, the work of hymnals with their
specific dances was being elaborated.