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Boletus Manicus |
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Written by (anonymous)
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Saturday, 21 December 2002 |
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Page 4 of 4
KNOWN EFFECTS:
B. manicus has been reported to have “...somewhat toxic properties” (Schultes & Hofmann 1979:36). Evidence for the presence of indolic substances in B. manicus can be found in the description of both the auditory and visual effects of nonda mushrooms (Reay 1977). After ingesting a species of nonda, most likely the variety gegwants nyimbil (B. manicus), Kuma men experienced “Lilliputian hallucinations” [sic] of bush-demons flying about their heads (Reay 1977:59). Such demons would “buzz” about their heads. It was reported by one Kuma man who had eaten nonda that these demons also made a “...strange and terrible noise 'inside his ears' which he interpreted as a bush-demon boxing his ears” (Reay 1977:59). Psilocybine and other tryptamines often produce a similar “buzzing” noise (Beach 1996-1997:13). The Kuma regarded bush-demons as “...tiny, two-dimensional, and often transparent creatures... [and]... always identified cartoon figures... readily and positively as representations of bush-demons”. Kuma bush-demons were seen, heard or felt to be any size up to the length of a person's forearm and could either be fat or thin. However, during komugl tai bush demons were supposed to be about the same size and proportions as wild bees (Reay 1977: 59 n.7). Ethnopsychiatrist B. G. Burton-Bradley (1970) has claimed that the Kuma's nonda-induced hallucinations of bush demons are “...more bizarre” than any other descriptions of bush-demons elsewhere in Papua New Guinea. “Lilliputian hallucinations” [sic] have also been experienced with the ludible use of some tryptamines (O'Rorke 1998:32). On the basis of these ethnographic observations, I conjecture that B. manicus may contain psychoactive constituent(s).
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- Burton-Bradley, B. G. 1970. Psychiatry and the Law in the Developing Country with Special Reference to the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Technical Paper No. 164. South Pacific Commision, Sydney, Australia.
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- Wasson, V.P. and R. G. Wasson 1957. Mushrooms Russia and History. Volume 2. Pantheon Books, New York, NY.
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