I am highly interested in aboriginal art, from old geologic formations with powerful dreamtime stories to ancient rock art with a particular focus on contemporary dreamtime dot paintings. To understand this amazing abstract and seemingly atomic visionary art better I am reading several books. While looking for online confirmation of Mircea Eliades reports about the role of quartz crystals in aboriginal shamanism from other anthropologists or aboriginal sources I came across this description of the use of Pituri which includes Acacia ash, which increases the potency of their native tobacco. Thought it might be of interest to some Nexians.

Pituri, intoxicant

Until Europeans arrived, the Aborigines used few drugs. The main one was pituri from the shrub Duboisia hopwoodii (7,19,37). The active ingredient is nicotine, the same alkaloid as in tobacco. “Pituri” is also used more broadly to include wild tobacco weed. The chemistry of pituri differ widely (19,37). In the Northern Territory, the drug is actually non-nicotine, four times more toxic than nicotine. Aborigines there prefer tobacco weed.

Aborigines used pituri to inspire mirth, to increase stamina and courage before warfare or firewalks. Pituri can induce trances, thus accessing the Dreamtime, that is psychic and mystical experiences. Nicotine is also commonly used in American shamanism (3.

Pituri also refers to the dried leaves and stems of the shrub. Aborigines smoke “quid”, a mixture of leaves with ash from the acacia bush, thus increasing drug potency (19). Leaves are placed behind the ear, or on other body parts. Nicotine is absorbed through the skin (37). Nicotine in quid -three times more concentrated than in cigarettes – produces stupor and catalepsy, a trancelike pain-free state (19,37).

Pituri is hoarded and the shrub localities kept secret. It grows over much of Western Queensland, Eastern Northern Territory and Northwestern NSW, where it was widely traded (1,37).

Pituri can induce trances, thus accessing the Dreamtime, that is, psychic and mystical experiences.