Waska: the cost of spiritual healing in the Amazon
The plant medicine hayakwaska (ayahuasca), marketed as a mystical shortcut to healing and enlightenment, is an example of what the Indigenous storyteller Nina Gualinga, sees as commodification and extractivism in the Amazon. Nina is from the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, Ecuador, and she speaks with the memory of her shaman grandfather about the ongoing cultural appropriation, environmental destruction and marginalisation of her people, questioning our very relationship to the Earth and the quest for healing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Save £170 on Phillips electric toothbrush that 'feels like dentist scale and polish'
"I've owned electric toothbrushes for 12-15 years. This is by far the best electric toothbrush I've ever owned." Everyone wants to achieve a bright, shining smile but sometimes it feels like you can't make any progress no matter what you do. While standard toothbrushes are a convenient and cheap option to tackle your daily oral health, for those who want to get a brighter brighter smile, it is advised to use an electric brush. Shoppers need to be aware that in order to get a high end toothbrush that can help you manage and improve your cleaning routine, shoppers will need to part with a pretty penny. Thankfully, Amazon currently has a limited time deal on one popular toothbrush that will save shoppers a whopping £170. Normally priced at an eye-watering £319.99, Amazon shoppers can now snap up the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Electric Toothbrush for £149.99. In comparison to a manual toothbrush, the Sonicare 9000 toothbrush provides up to 10 times better plaque removal with its C3 Premium brush heads that will lead to a naturally whiter smile. Shoppers can also brush their teeth the way they prefer as the toothbrush comes with four brushing modes - clean, white+, gum health and deep clean+. On top of this, the electric toothbrush comes with three intensity levels to help meet your oral healthcare goals. Shoppers also won't need to worry about brushing too hard as the handle of the brush will begin to pulse when too much pressure is applied. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Electric Toothbrush £319.99 £149.99 Amazon Buy Now Product Description To take your personal cleaning experience to the next level, shoppers can also connect their new toothbrush to the Phillips Sonicare app which will provide coaching and progress reports while the user cleans their teeth. The toothbrush also comes with a travel case, three heads and a charging stand. For those happy with an older model of toothbrush that isn't as high tech, Amazon has also dropped the price of the Philips Sonicare 5500 Electric Toothbrush. Normally £199.99, shoppers can now grab the electric toothbrush for £74.99 in the sale. Along with a charging stand, this toothbrush comes with two cleaning options and a charging stand. Alternatively, shoppers can save £160 if they buy the Oral-B iO4 Electric Toothbrush from Boots. Normally retailing for £240, shoppers can now snatch it up for only £80. This bluetooth toothbrush comes with a handy travel case and uses iO technology to help with brushing your teeth. Many shoppers have been pleased with the Sonicare 9000 Toothbrush, which has earned itself a 4.3 star rating on Amazon. Despite its hefty price tag, many shoppers have praised the toothbrush for its cleaning ability, with one saying it felt like they had been to the dentist after brushing their teeth. One happy shopper said: "After 4 days my teeth are looking white again . I've used an electric toothbrush for years but this brush is worth every penny. Highly recommended." With another five-star reviewer adding: "Before this, I've never really used an electric toothbrush before. And now, I can't even imagine going back to standard toothbrushes! It's really easy to ease, the quality is amazing, and it does a really good cleaning job." However, they did also note: "The battery could be a bit better and it would be nice to have an indication that the battery is running low before it powers off. It does however still work a tiny bit after it switches off which is fine. Good value for money! A different shopper also said: "I like the toothbrush but am very disappointed that this brush comes without a charging travel case unlike all my previous toothbrushes. "Considering how expensive it is, it comes with a cheap black plastic case. I appreciate the battery life is longer, but there are occasions when you may need to charge away from home." Despite this, another shopper was full of praise, saying: "I've owned electric toothbrushes for 12-15 years. This is by far the best electric toothbrush I've ever owned. "After cleaning you feel like you've just come out of a dentist's chair where scaling and polishing has been carried out. Your teeth feel wonderfully clean, even around the gums where plaque forms. Beauty deal of the week Looking for last minute gift inspiration for dad ahead of Sunday, June 15. Then don't fret, as we have you covered, as no-one can go wrong with a new bottle of cologne, and we have spotted Versace's The Dreamer for him Eau de Toilette for 67 percent less at Superdrug. Hailed for being "underrated" and "truly unique", a large 100ml bottle of this fragrance has been dropped from £74 to £24, allowing you to make a huge saving of £50 and get in a thoughtful gift. Described as "warm" and "fresh", Versace's Dreamer is an aromatic fragrance that, while belonging to the cologne family, is said to boast a variety of notes that make it suitable for both men and women. The scent opens on vibrant notes of juniper, tarragon, and artemisia, before blending into heart notes of iris, lily and flax flowers to add a touch of softness. It then ends on a comforting base of tobacco blossom and amber, offering a smoky, luxurious finish. The transparent, clear fragrance itself is housed in an opulent glass bottle that has been embossed with the iconic medusa logo, representing the luxury aesthetic of the iconic fashion house. Versace's Dreamer EDT has managed to earn glowing reviews and a 4.6 rating from shoppers, with one saying: "Truly unique and dreamy fragrance. It's a great fragrance but it's underrated. Guys you have to try this one, it's great for all year round." And someone else wrote: "Not to be overlooked. This is a lesser known Versace men's fragrance but oh my it is gorgeous ! Hubby loved it and amazing value for money." Versace's The Dreamer For Him Eau de Toilette (100ml) can be bought for 67 percent less at Superdrug now. "I haven't explored the app yet nor have I tried the other toothbrush options on the handle. Very happy with just the basic clean option." Another happy reviewer also said: "My old Sonicare toothbrush was dying, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how good this new one is! "Not only does it look sleek, it also feels great in hand and doesn't cause pneumatic drill levels of vibration to your wrist. The toothbrush cleans very well and I always finish with smooth feeling teeth." To buy the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Electric Toothbrush, click HERE. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘Ayahuasca tourism' is a blight on Indigenous peoples and our environment
In the world of the Ecuadorian Amazon, humans, plants and animals are relatives, and ancient stories reflect real ecological relationships and Indigenous knowledge rooted in profound connections to the land. But one of those connections – ceremonial medicine known as hayakwaska – is now marketed as a mystical shortcut to healing and enlightenment. Behind the scenes of these 'healing retreats' lies a deeper story of cultural erasure, linguistic distortion and ongoing colonisation masked as wellness. The global popularity of 'ayahuasca' has given rise to a new form of spiritual tourism that romanticises and distorts Indigenous cultures. This growing industry fuels the exoticisation of Indigenous peoples, turning our languages, practices and identities into consumable fantasies for outsiders. Sacred rituals are stripped of context, spiritual roles are commercialised, and even the names of the plants are misused, reducing complex cultural systems into simplified, marketable experiences. Aya means the soul of a dead person, skeleton, or corpse. The term ayahuasca is a modern invention, largely used in spiritual tourism. In our language, we say 'hayakata upina' when referring to drinking hayakwaska. Hayak is a short form of hayakwaska and directly means bitter, so the translation means drinking the 'bitter vine'. In contrast, 'ayata upina' would mean 'to drink the soul of a dead person', which no one would say. For this reason, I will use the correct term: hayakwaska. Even the name of the medicine has been distorted. To understand it properly, one must understand our society, its structure, language and deep ties to the land. Unlike English or Spanish, Indigenous languages such as our Runashimi (Kichwa) are rooted in place. Like modern science, our knowledge is based on observation, but through relationships. We live through a social-emotional relationship with the land. In the rainforest, all beings, including humans and the more-than-human world, have roles and responsibilities. Although our yachaks (traditional healers) may treat individuals, their true role is to maintain balance within the community and among relationships between people, forests and all beings. Healing, in our worldview, is collective because we are all interconnected. When yachaks focus only on 'ayahuasca' tourism for profit, abandoning this sacred responsibility, we must ask: what have they become? Tourist-oriented healing centres often prioritise individual experiences, personal growth, ego work and private revelations, detached from community, land and reciprocity. When healing is stripped of its collective foundation, it no longer nourishes true awakening. Instead, it risks becoming a performance that elevates the self, not the whole, opposing the very essence of Indigenous healing, which is rooted in relationship, humility and shared wellbeing. It is not just sad, it is dangerous. When spiritual practices are altered to please outsiders, it shifts the very meaning of hayak and the relationship we have with it. These changes reshape how younger generations understand our traditions, not through lived experience or guidance from elders, but through performances tailored for tourism. What was once sacred, genuine and real becomes scripted. The danger lies not only in losing the essence of our ceremonies but in distorting our collective memory, values and roles. When healing becomes entertainment, and culture becomes spectacle, the spiritual thread that holds our community together begins to fray. Hayakwaska tourism is also a driver of illegal hunting practices. Traditional hunting is rooted in respect and reciprocity, but today commercial demand for animal parts threatens both species and Indigenous ways of life, and this growing tourism industry not only distorts culture but also fuels threats to biodiversity. Recent research highlights how jaguars, already a near threatened species, are being exploited to meet tourist demand. Items such as jaguar-tooth pendants and skin bracelets are sold as mystical enhancers of the ayahuasca experience, endangering both wildlife and sacred balance. Using Indigenous knowledge and medicine carries deep social and environmental responsibility. Without that responsibility, it becomes nothing more than extractivism, another form of colonialism dressed in spiritual language. The real question is: How are 'ayahuasca tourists' giving back? Are they supporting Indigenous rights, protecting ancestral lands, and standing with the people who safeguard this wisdom, often at great personal risk? Too many seek healing from Indigenous medicines while ignoring the lived realities of those who protect the plants, the knowledge, and the territories they come from. These communities continue their struggle amid threats from mining, oil extraction and agribusiness. If there is to be any true healing, it must include justice, reciprocity and solidarity with the people and the land from which this medicine grows. Inspired by their stories and our experiences, I, Nina, created Waska: The Forest is My Family. The film explores the exploitation of Indigenous peoples and the forest. As the granddaughter of a yachak, I wanted to share what it means to live connected to hayakwaska and the land. Nina Gualinga and Eli Virkina are both Indigenous women of the Ecuadorian Amazon, storytellers and land defenders
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Waska: the cost of spiritual healing in the Amazon
The plant medicine hayakwaska (ayahuasca), marketed as a mystical shortcut to healing and enlightenment, is an example of what the Indigenous storyteller Nina Gualinga, sees as commodification and extractivism in the Amazon. Nina is from the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, Ecuador, and she speaks with the memory of her shaman grandfather about the ongoing cultural appropriation, environmental destruction and marginalisation of her people, questioning our very relationship to the Earth and the quest for healing
