Reclaiming the Sacred Herb: Why Indigenous Peoples Must Not Be Locked Out of Cannabis Use.

Reclaiming the Sacred Herb

Among many African communities, cannabis—known in some regions as bhang, muti wa bangi, or by other indigenous names—was used to treat a variety of ailments: from pain, insomnia, and digestive issues to mental and spiritual imbalances. It was not merely a medicine; it was a spiritual aid. In some traditions, it was used in rituals to commune with ancestors, cleanse the body of disease, or mark important rites of passage.

Communities in Southern Africa, East Africa, the Caribbean, and India held cannabis in high regard—burned in sacred fires, steeped in healing tonics, or smoked in prayer ceremonies. The Rasta community in particular preserved this plant as sacrament, even in the face of persecution.