A visual ethnography of Amazonian Shamanism in Great Britain

By Kerry Rowberry

PhD research with the University of Cumbria

Provide an overview of my PhD research

Offer an understanding of visual ethnography

Explain and justify the data collection methods used

Showcase the images created for this research

Provide a preliminary analysis of these images

wwwaboutmekerryrowberry kerryrowberryyahoocouk

Ethnography (from Greek ἔθνος ethnos folk people nation and γράφω grapho I write) is the systematic study of people and cultures It is designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study

httpenwikipediaorgwikiEthnography (accessed 24052015)


Known locally as a curandero shaman from the Amazon make use of a plethora of plants and substances in their rituals and treatments This study has focused on those that have been seen to migrate into Britain The main interests of this study are the use of ayahuasca kambosapo (Phyllomedusa bicolour) chewed salvia rapeacute (hap-pay) and any other practices that attempt to mimic authentic curandero practices from the Amazon


This thesis will be presented as a rhizoanalysis a methodology created out of Deleuze and Guattaris (1987) concept of the rhizome

httpill-languagecomtagrhizome-theory (accessed 240515)


A rhizome has horizontal shoots that take off in unpredictable directions It has no beginning no end It spills out in the middle For Deleuze a rhizome functions to disrupt and to create changebecoming In this article the rhizome disrupts (deterritorializes) methodology and literacy in order to reconceptualize them rhizoanalysis and multiple literacies respectively thus opening up potentialities for thinking differently about qualitative research

Mansy D (2011) Rhizoanalytic Pathways in Qualitative Research Qualitative Inquiry Vol 9 (5) Sage Publications P339


Traditional Ethnography

Auto- Ethnography

Visual Ethnography

bull Life

bull Participant observation

bull Interviews

bull Various creative activities


In Goborsquos 2008 publication with Sage lsquoDoing Ethnographyrsquo visual ethnography is described as lsquoIntegration of documentary methodology with ethnographic methodology Ethnographies are conducted using visual media (photographs and film clips) also in order to document the analysis more graphicallyrsquo p189

This is the view I have found in all literature I have read on the subject References to this can be supplied upon request

However I argue that the term visual can be interpreted in a much wider fashion than focusing on documentary film and photograph alone


One criticism of documentary style visual ethnography is that anonymity of participants is compromised from the outset

The term lsquoVisualrsquo and itrsquos potential as a vehicle for research stretches much wider than documentary using film photographs and lsquonew mediarsquo Paintings sculptures and sketches are all visual and can all be used to communicate the ideas of their creator

Getting participants to create a variety of artefacts and engage in different creative activities provides an avenue for communication that is not possible verbally

My aim has been to use creative activities that are designed to open up communication and explore themes that have emerged following interviews and observations This allows for greater depth in my investigations and for the project to be led more by the participants than by me

The results will aid triangulation and provide an interesting and stimulating presentation to aid in research dissemination I hope )

wwwaboutmekerryrowberry

kerryrowberryyahoocouk

Hire a room get participants in the room have different tables or stations with different creative activities rotate participants until everyone has completed all of the activities

Problems 1 Anonymity is compromised

2 Participants are scattered across Great Britain ndash travel expenses need to be covered

3 Finding a suitable venue in a fair location

4 Availability of participants

5 Cost of materials




I had posted a list of themes on the forum and hidden them with spoiler tags

Participants were asked to work on one theme at a time and to only read each theme when they were ready to work on it

Timing themselves for 60 seconds and using a blank Word document for each theme participants were asked to type as many words or small phrases that came to mind about the given theme

Participants were then asked to put these words or phrases into PowerPoint (one slide for each theme) and arrange them around the theme title They were asked to consider positionality and to have words that relate to each other placed together

Participants were instructed to accurately represent any repetition of words on their slides

Participants were invited to experiment with text colour to represent grouping and text size to represent how important they feel a word or phrase is to them

It was advised that no more that one hour was spent on this activity overall






Work street work city work state work zip work phone

Life Nature Plants Revelation Ayahuasca Mother Deepness Portrayal Understanding Overstanding Appreciation Love Care Gentle Admiration Study Free

Using any medium of their choice participants were asked to create an image that expresses their experience of ayahuasca capturing any element that is felt important to them

Participants were reminded that it was not about the quality of their art skills but the expression

Participants were advised to spend only around 20-30 minutes on this exercise or more at their own choosing






It was acknowledged that activity three would seem kind of complicated

Using software of their choice participants were asked to create a page with a black background On the bottom centre of the page they were to place a grey stick figure to represent them

They were also provided with a list of words and asked to create a shape to represent each word Shapes could be used more than once The shape and colour needed to be representative of what participants felt that the word meant to them



The words were God Religion Spirituality Community Education

Pharmaceutical Medicine Shamanism Central Government (Parliament) Family Friends Health Local Government (Council) National Health Services

Participants were told to create a key to inform me which shape represented each word

Next the participants were asked to consider space as representative of connectivity They were instructed to place the shapes in terms of how connected they felt the word was to them as a person (in relation to their grey stick figure) and how the words connected to each other The closer the position the more connected each thing is

Participants were then asked to re-size the shapes in order to represent the influence they think each thing has on them




lsquoI dont feel I have enough to say about the topics your asking aboutrsquo



Participants were asked to put some thought into this activity taking a day or even a week to think it through

The first part of this activity was for participants to think of a metaphor that answered the following question

lsquoWhat does Amazonian shamanism mean to yoursquo

Using any medium of their choice participants were asked to create a visual representation of this metaphor Again they were reminded that artistic skills were not important here but rather the expression

It was advised that about an hour should be spent on this but more time could be used if they chose







Spending a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of an evening participants were asked to think of one word that summed up what their involvement in Amazonian shamanism had given to them







Using the internet for activities of this nature is highly problematic in terms of participant dedication and commitment

Some participants were also confused by my instructions Even where participants are confident they understand instructions this is not necessarily the case in all instances

Group meetings in person are not suitable when researching matters of questionable legality

However asking participants to create artefacts can open up lines of communication not otherwise accessible It allows for a new kind of expression This should be embraced by visual ethnographers

When extracting meaning from images colours and symbols researcher bias is unavoidable We tend to use our own experiences and cultural heritage as a point of reference Interpretation is difficult to ascertain with certainty There can be much discussion about the ability of the communicatorrsquos skills to put across their ideas compared to the ability to accurately translate and understand what is communicated


Activity 1

I drew up a list of themes that stood out

Healing ancient spiritual evaluation secret realms plants nature ayahuasca

The participants however seemed to have their own focuses there wasnrsquot much to link the themes together

I surmised that primarily they converged at the idea of self development liked it because it was ancient and drawn towards the concept of transcendence


Activity 2

Eyes were the only theme that appeared in two pictures For one it was all about questions another the Mother ayahuasca the bringer of change For participant 2 nature and an all seeing eye were what expressed ayahuasca use to them Participant three 3 was shown that had been a twin at birth For him it had been more just a psychedelic experience He also linked to the eye theme


Activity 3

Standing out to be closest to the participant were the following themes that each had two participants feeling connected to it most

Spirituality family friends health

The following themes were all close to just one participant each

God Education and Community

Participants did not feel connected to the following themes

Religion Shamanism Central Government Local Government and the NHS

This exercise showed me more about them on a personal level without the Amazonian Shamanism



Activity 4

There were no links between any of the images produced Participant 1 sees Amazonian shamanism as providing him with a new set of eyes Participant 2 linked it to our closest celestial bodies Participant 3 didnrsquot have enough to say Participant 4 said a lot with nothing He sees shamanism as a sign lsquoA journey with unlimited directionrsquo

From the point of view of rhizoanalysis the question of what Amazonian shamanism means it may be too big a question to foster links and create themes



Activity 5 One word to sum up what involvement in Amazonian

shamanism has given to them They were also asked to experiment with typography to enhance meaning

Participant 1 chose lsquohealingrsquo and attached this to the colour green and a transition from darkness Participant 2 chose lsquovisionrsquo and this was the second piece for them to feature and eye This time there is clear reference to having a greater perspective

Try not to boo participant 3 itrsquos his right not to take part Participant 4 chose lsquoremindrsquo which could refer to past life

or re-programming your mind For the second time he created a lot of empty white space


For Rob Breckles

A well missed addition to the 27 club

Rock and roll x


Provide an overview of my PhD research

Offer an understanding of visual ethnography

Explain and justify the data collection methods used

Showcase the images created for this research

Provide a preliminary analysis of these images














Auto- Ethnography

Visual Ethnography

bull Life


bull Interviews



















5 Cost of materials


































































Activity 1






Activity 2



Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x














Auto- Ethnography

Visual Ethnography

bull Life


bull Interviews



















5 Cost of materials


































































Activity 1






Activity 2



Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x


















5 Cost of materials


































































Activity 1






Activity 2



Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x

































































Activity 1






Activity 2



Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x


Activity 2



Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x


Activity 3










Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x


Activity 4











For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x








For Rob Breckles


Rock and roll x


A visual ethnography of Amazonian Shamanism in Great Britain

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Transcript of A visual ethnography of Amazonian Shamanism in Great Britain