Despite challenges by the federal government to restrict the use
of peyote, the Native American Church, which uses the
hallucinogenic cactus as a religious sacrament, has become the
largest indigenous denomination among American Indians today. "The
Peyote Road" examines the history of the NAC, including its legal
struggles to defend the controversial use of peyote.
Thomas C. Maroukis has conducted extensive interviews with NAC
members and leaders to craft an authoritative account of the
church's history, diverse religious practices, and significant
people. His book integrates a narrative history of the Peyote faith
with analysis of its religious beliefs and practices--as well as
its art and music--and an emphasis on the views of NAC members.
Deftly blending oral histories and legal research, Maroukis
traces the religion's history from its Mesoamerican roots to the
legal incorporation of the NAC; its expansion to the northern
plains, Great Basin, and Southwest; and challenges to Peyotism by
state and federal governments, including the Supreme Court decision
in" Oregon v. Smith." He also introduces readers to the inner
workings of the NAC with descriptions of its organizational
structure and the Cross Fire and Half Moon services.
"The Peyote Road" updates Omer Stewart's classic 1987 study of
the Peyote religion by taking into consideration recent events and
scholarship. In particular, Maroukis discusses not only the
church's current legal issues but also the diminishing Peyote
supply and controversies surrounding the definition of
membership.
Today approximately 300,000 American Indians are members of the
Native American Church. "The Peyote Road" marks a significant case
study of First Amendment rights and deepens our understanding of
the struggles of NAC members to practice their faith.
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