The following organizations work to safeguard indigenous knowledge and practices surrounding psychedelics, focusing on both education and the preservation of their cultural and spiritual heritage.

1. The Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative (IPCI)

  • Focus: IPCI works to preserve, conserve, and protect the sacred Peyote cactus for Native American ceremonial use. The initiative is led by Native American tribes and focuses on education about the cultural and spiritual significance of Peyote.

  • Website: IPCI

2. The Union of Indigenous Yagé Healers of the Colombian Amazon (UMIYAC)

  • Focus: UMIYAC is an organization of indigenous healers from the Amazon who work to protect their traditional knowledge of Yagé (Ayahuasca). They engage in environmental conservation, protection of indigenous lands, and cultural education about the medicinal and spiritual use of Yagé.

  • Website: UMIYAC

3. Fundación Chacruna (Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines)

  • Focus: Chacruna collaborates with indigenous communities to promote respectful and informed use of sacred plants like Ayahuasca and Peyote. They focus on education about the cultural heritage of these plants, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and supporting indigenous rights.

  • Website: Chacruna

4. The Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund

  • Focus: This fund works with indigenous communities to conserve and protect sacred medicinal plants like Ayahuasca and Peyote. It promotes sustainable use of plant medicines and supports indigenous education and stewardship of their traditions.

  • Website: Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund

5. Ayahuasca Foundation (Peru)

  • Focus: Based in the Peruvian Amazon, the Ayahuasca Foundation supports indigenous education, offering workshops on traditional healing practices with Ayahuasca. They aim to preserve and promote indigenous knowledge about plant medicine.

  • Website: Ayahuasca Foundation

6. Nierika, A.C.

  • Focus: Nierika is a Mexican non-profit organization that focuses on indigenous traditions, particularly the ceremonial use of Peyote. They work to preserve the cultural heritage and spiritual practices of the Wixárika people, offering educational programs and promoting sustainable practices.

  • Website: Nierika

7. Sacred Garden Community (Brazil)

  • Focus: This organization focuses on protecting and sharing the spiritual and cultural use of Ayahuasca within indigenous Brazilian communities. They work on environmental preservation, education, and support of local tribes.

  • Website: Sacred Garden Community

8. ICEERS Indigenous Dialogues

  • Focus: As part of the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), the Indigenous Dialogues initiative supports indigenous communities who use traditional plant medicines, such as Ayahuasca and Iboga. They engage in cultural exchange and education around the use of these plants.

  • Website: ICEERS

9. Amazon Conservation Team (ACT)

  • Focus: ACT works directly with indigenous tribes of the Amazon to protect their lands, culture, and medicinal knowledge, including traditional uses of psychoactive plants like Ayahuasca. They engage in education, conservation, and cultural preservation.

  • Website: ACT