Ayahuasca (1939) by Arturo Burga Freitas is one of the earliest written works dedicated to the Peruvian Amazonian brew known today as ayahuasca. Published in Lima, this Spanish-language monograph stands as an ethnobotanical and cultural document of deep historical value. Freitas, a Peruvian writer and researcher, explores the indigenous use of the Vine of the Soul —its ceremonial, medical, and mystical dimensions—decades before it became a subject of global fascination.
The book situates the plant medicine not merely as a plant preparation but as a cultural key to understanding Amazonian cosmology. Freitas describes rituals, songs, and healing practices associated with the brew, while also reflecting on the scientific and spiritual curiosity it inspired in early 20th-century Peru.
Today, Ayahuasca is recognized as a rare document bridging anthropology, botany, and spirituality. Readers will find in it a firsthand look at how traditional knowledge intersected with early modern inquiry into consciousness and healing.
Download this original Spanish text to explore one of the foundational works on ayahuasca and its place in South American culture:
