Today, boys and girls, we continue with our exploration of the coca leaf. The Incas believed that the plant was of a divine nature. The Inca's story on the origin of the coca leaf was probably thought of while they were under the drugs effects. Here is one of the stories that the Native South Americans told to the people-rapers from Europe:
"From what they had heard... before coca was a shrub, it was a beautiful woman. Discovered to be an adulteress, she was executed, cut in half, and buried as a seed that would be planted. From part of her severed body a shrub, which became known as 'ma-coca' and 'coca-mana' began to grow and blossom. Only men were permitted to pick it's leaves, placing them in their pouches. It was soon learned that the pouches could be opened to take coca only after copulation, which was to be preformed in the memory of the beautiful but dismembered adulteress." I think they meant "before copulation," to increase stamina and screw the brains out of the woman. Who knows.
But wait, there's even more legends and myths about where this crazy-super-fun plant came from. The Andean people of the Central Andes mountain range in South America believe that God told them to guard the coca leaf "with much love. And when you feel the sting of pain in your heart, hunger in your body and darkness in your mind... take them to your mouth and softly draw up its spirit which is part of mine. You will find love for your pain, food for your body, and light for your mind. Furthermore, watch the leaves dance with the wind and you will find answers to your queries." I don't know about you, but any plant that can alleviate hunger and pain while conjuring the spirit of God within you is legit.
This is way too much fun, let's find some more coca-leaf legends.
It looks like the Incas were very spiritual people, and the coca leaf was one of their methods of heightening their spiritual existence. Listen to these two myths from the Incas. The sun god instructed the moon mother to plant the coca in the moist valleys of the Andes. The leaf was only to be used by the Incas, because they were descendants of the gods of course. This was to give them endurance to perform their earthly functions. Sort of like an ancient PED.
Manco Capac: first party-starter of the Inca Empire
Our last coca leaf origin story for the day is about Manco Capac, the son of god, and his sister-wife (WTF?!?) Mama Cello, who are the founders of the Kingdom of Cusco, the settlement that later became the Inca Empire. Apparently, the two of them brought over the sacred plant along with the agriculture as a gift to reward the people's hard labor. The Incas considered the coca leaf to be a divine plant (any plant with that kind of power has to be divine right?) which satiates the hungry, strengthens the weak, and caused those who chew it to forget their misfortunes. It is also said that the plant turns ordinary, scrawny soldiers into Captain America
One thing common to these origin stories is the spirituality associated with the coca leaf. We tend to think of the early civilizations as barbaric and savage, but they probable knew a lot more than we give them credit for. They certainly knew how to get down with the coca leaf. Chewing coca leaf was originally reserved for the individuals who enjoyed a high status on the social ladder, but when the people-rapers crossed the Atlantic, they distributed it to everybody because, you know, it would assist in their rape conquests.
Well boys and girls, that ends today's daily lesson on cocaine, be sure to tune in next time when we discuss the spread of the coca-leaf to North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Charlie Sheen's nostrils.
No comments:
Post a Comment