Before the War on Drugs took over the world, different plants were used and explored freely in medicine, religion and other aspects of ancestral societies. Coca is one of them. The coca leaf began to be used millennia ago in South America for various properties. It was only processed and turned into cocaine for the first time in 1859.

So why are there so many taboos on her?

The truth is that, like many other plants, the coca leaf was criminalized by prohibitionism. Those who suffer are local populations who have to fight to defend the right to use a fundamental element of connection with their own culture. It is as traditional and important an element as magic mushrooms, peyote, tobacco and other plants (and fungi) of power.

So, to help demystify its uses, we brought you an article full of information about this delicacy. Would you like to know more about it and remove the prejudices surrounding coca?

WHAT IS COCA LEAF AND WHAT IS IT FOR?

Coca is a plant native to South America, specifically the Andean regions. Its scientific name is Erythroxylum coca. It is known for its leaves, which contain alkaloid substances, and is most famous for cocaine. This molecule is extracted and processed through different chemical processes. Here, we have already talked about it and its byproducts.

Coca leaves have a long history of use by indigenous cultures in the Andes, dating back approximately three thousand years B.C. They are traditionally chewed, usually along with an alkaloid-containing substance called “llipta.” However, they are also used to make teas and infusions.

In Andean cultures, coca to this day plays important roles in religious, social and medicinal rituals. It is considered a sacred plant and is used in shamanic ceremonies, as offerings to the gods, and to alleviate fatigue at high altitudes.

Additionally, coca leaves have stimulant properties and can help combat altitude sickness, common in mountainous regions. They are also used to increase energy and physical endurance, especially in areas where physical work is common.

ORIGINS OF THE USE OF COCA LEAF

The use of coca, as we mentioned previously, dates back millennia in South America, when pre-Columbian civilizations inhabited the continent. Traces of its leaves have been found in ancient tombs in Peru. In Chile, mummies dating back approximately 4,000 years ago were analyzed and found to have traces of cocaine in their hair.

Although there are few detailed descriptions of ancestral rituals involving coca, they were diverse and encompassed:

practices in oracles and offerings;

social integration;

cures performed by shamans;

tribal initiations and rituals.

The world's knowledge of coca only emerged after the arrival of the Spanish. They did not understand the ritual and magical uses of the plant, which led to its prohibition between the years 1560 and 1569. In the 17th century, during the Spanish inquisition, it was even associated with witchcraft. However, indigenous peoples rejected the impositions of the Catholic Church and fought against these colonialist measures.

THE TRADITIONAL USE OF COCA AND ITS MEANINGS

According to the Chacruna Institute, “coca is the means by which communities direct energy towards individual and collective work, while offering relief from physical and metaphysical problems.”

According to the article, for traditional cultures, even today, coca is much more than a plant or source of income. It is seen as something sacred and fundamental to culture. Along with other power plants, it represents an indigenous social system that values the balance between individual and collective needs, the connection between the human and natural world, and the influence of forces that can be seen — and others that are more mysterious.

In many cultures, such as the Garza Clan of the Muruy-Muyna (Witoto) people of the northwestern Amazon region, coca personifies the divine feminine. It symbolizes dialogue, spiritual connection, physical strength and clarity of thought. Known as jibína in the Muruy-Muyna language, the plant still represents the very essence of virtuous thinking.

There and in other parts of the region, it is used in the form of Mambe (in Spanish) or jíbie (in Muruy-Muyna). The substance consists of a green powder obtained after roasting, grinding and sieving coca leaves. It is then combined with dried yarumo leaf ash, which enhances the coca flavor and reinforces its effects. The Mambe, according to indigenous knowledge, carries the benevolent spirit of coca, the kind energy of the first woman, who brought wisdom and guidance to the people.

Another form of traditional consumption is coca leaf tea, legal only in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. However, some of these places are fighting for the reclassification and regulation of the plant as a whole.

HOW DOES COCA COMPARE TO COCAINE?

Although cocaine comes from coca, comparing its leaves with the white powder bought in stores is oversimplifying things. This is because, to become the cocaine that many of us know, the plant goes through a chemical transformation that involves hydrochloric acid and other chemical substances, including various diluting agents.

This chemical process converts the alkaloids naturally present in coca into cocaine hydrochloride. It is quickly absorbed by the body, causing an almost immediate and intense, but quick, euphoria. In recent years, another huge problem with cocaine is its mixture with fentanyl. This extremely potent opioid is capable of causing overdoses even in small quantities. Therefore, sample testing is essential to ensure safety and Harm Reduction in its use.

The coca leaf has a notable concentration of nutrients, particularly calcium, vitamin A, iron, phosphorus and vegetable protein. In addition to being mildly stimulating, it has properties that help combat symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath that can occur at high altitudes. Chewing it can also aid digestion.

So, did you like this information? We hope they help you better understand this incredible plant, coca.

To the next!