Protecting Peyote
Dawn Davis of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Idaho studies the sustainability of ethno-significant plants. Her work is trying to deter people from harming culturally important plants by helping others understand the impacts on plant populations and the Indigenous cultures that have had direct relationships for thousands of years. Here, Science Moab speaks with Dawn about Peyote, a traditional medicine and important cultural plant found only in the Southwest United States. We speak about how peyote is threatened and how she and others are working with land owners, Native communities, and scientists to maintain this important species.
Meet the Scientist: Dawn Davis
Dawn D. Davis is a mother, a wife, CEO of NativeSci LLC, co-editor of the Journal of Native Sciences, a Newe and a citizen of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Dawn is an Indigenous Researcher and educator with a PhD in Natural Resources and Water Resources. Her research has focused on Peyote [Lophophora williamsii] decline and conservation efforts since 2006. Dawn has shared her research among Indigenous, academic, ethnobotanical, and psychedelic audiences nationally and internationally. Dawn enjoys spending time with her family, growing plants for tea, and being at home.
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Interview Transcript - Protecting Culturally Significant Plants
Davis: I’m Dawn Davis. I am a tribal citizen of the Shoshone-Bannock tribes. I am also a mother, a micro farmer, and I just recently finished my PhD at the University of Idaho for my dissertation entitled The peyote path, a new perspective on a medicinal plant in peril.
Science Moab: Can you talk a little bit about peyote and just give us an image of what you’re talking about where it’s found and kind of the habitat that you would or the place that you would find it in?
Davis: Peyote is a very low growing cactus. It’s a greenish-gray color, and I’ve heard that it can be blue. To me, it’s one of the most beautiful cacti ever. It doesn’t have any needles, and it grows very similar to a carrot. So it has this subterranean root that is very similar to what a carrot looks like, which is where it stores all of its water. It’s a plant that’s self-pollinating, which means that it has male and female characteristics. And it’s just a beautiful plant with pink and white flowers. It grows in the United States in South Texas, in an area that is commonly referred to by many Native American people as the peyote gardens. And its natural range actually extends into Central Mexico, and less than 20% of its natural habitat is in the United States. Texas is 95% privately owned, so 100% of peyote and peyote habitat in Texas resides within private property.
Science Moab: What work needs to be done to protect peyote?
Davis: One thing that I really advocate for is wild peyote protection, and so one of my goals with my research was reaching out to landowners and trying to see their perspectives. One landowner’s first interaction with me was them saying they don’t have any peyote on their property, so why have this conversation? And I eventually just convinced them to just meet for coffee, and so we met, and we talked for about 20 minutes and had this really great conversation about their land and about how they’re really proud of their property. After talking with this landowner for about 20 or 30 minutes, they finally said ‘I do have peyote on my land, and I want you to come see it’. I was totally thrilled. The landowners are the key holders; they can really advocate on our behalf or they could also be a gatekeeper. They have a lot of concerns, but they were all very much aware of the peyote crisis.
Science Moab: What would you like to see moving forward, in regards to these issues?
Davis: I would love to see a rebuilt relationship with landowners, because it took me eight years to make contact with the landowner. Once I did make the connection with the landowner, it was clear that several of these landowners had informal agreements with other natives, who were able to harvest on their property. And the landowners that I spoke with were totally in favor of that. But legalized peyote distributors really disconnected Native American people from landowners, and created a middleman. They served as peyote harvesters, and dried the peyote before it’s sold. For decades, this was really doing a disservice to the Native American church members because it really disconnected them from the land. I think that one of the key pieces in peyote conservation and sustainability is reconnecting tribal members to the land, because peyote distributors are harvesting peyote that is not mature, reducing propagation. I think that if there were more Native American people, more peyotists, out there harvesting their own medicine, they would only harvest those that they know have seeded or are at a mature size. They’d also be aware of consumption, how much are they going to harvest this day. That self regulation is going to take place when you’re out there connecting to the land.
Science Moab: Can you share your thoughts on the psychedelic movement and their relationship with peyote?
Davis: I am like the antithesis of the psychedelic movement because I’m talking about extraction, appropriation, about leaving peyote alone. Other researchers are pushing for legalization, decriminalization, clinical trials, and things like that. I’m like ‘slow down, Native American people need the opportunity to address this issue’. I’m always trying to advocate for peyote preservation and also the right for peyote to be used by Native American people. I think that these spaces, psychedelic and academic, need to make sure that they are reaching out to truly indigenous people. We have organizations co-opting the indigenous voice, saying, ‘I have one Native American person who believes that peyote should be made legal. Therefore all Native American people believe this way’. And that’s not exactly true. We’re all going to have differing opinions. But the danger is that they’re projecting a voice for people who have actually had to deal with oppressive issues, genocidal and governmental policies to exterminate Native American people. My biggest concern with what’s happening with peyote is that Native American people are not given the full opportunity to address the peyote issue in a way that’s comfortable.
