My first #wearableart piece inspired by the psychedelic healing plant of Gabon. In the 19th century, the Bantu tribes of Gabon fled into the jungle to escape persecution from the colonizing French missionaries. In the process, the discovered the psycho-reactive Iboga plant. The Bwiti tribe still uses it to this day in ceremonial ancestor veneration.
Gabon's first president, Leon M'ba was a Bwiti initiate, and in recent years, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Gabon declared Iboga a national treasure.
As a creative who is actively learning about African Traditional Religion (ATR), a lover of history, a practitioner of ancestor veneration, and supporter of natural psychedelic dosing in licensed therapy, this piece in particular really spoke to me. It also reminded me a lot of the plant line in the Black Panther wherein the "heart-shaped herb" was used to connect T'Challa to past kings on the ancestral plane. How cool to know that there is a real citrus plant in existence on the continent that is used in a similar capacity?! The world is such an inspiring place.
"In church, they speak of god, with Iboga you live god"
This series included OMIJE and medium drop style variants and sold out within the hour. Only a few studs and Mwezi tassels left. Whew!