Vanessa Léon Sulca - Why Should the Psychedelic Movement Consider the Impact of Colonisation?

Historical trauma from colonialism continues to impact contemporary indigenous communities and shapes the relationship between Western psychedelic movements and indigenous cultures. Adopting a model of transactional analysis, historical trauma is understood as a form of intergenerational oppression that perpetuates restrictive internal narratives - and by extension, colonial dynamics - by devaluing indigenous knowledge and worldviews. Psychedelic practitioners and researchers are challenged to interrogate these lingering colonial mindsets, shifting away from a consumerist approach toward the medicines. Fostering a truly decolonial, collaborative future requires humility, genuine listening, and the active recognition of indigenous epistemology as equal to, not derivative of, Western scientific frameworks.