058 | Iboga Sustainability Issues: Building A Bridge Between Gabon, Africa & the West

Anyone who has worked with Iboga (or ibogaine) or is feeling the call will gain a lot of valuable information in this episode. It’s not a secret that there are severe sustainability issues with this powerful medicine. Not only is the medicine (the Iboga tree) being threatened, but so is the cultural heritage underpinning it.

Blessings of the Forest (BOTF) is non-profit organization working on the ground with the Gabonese to preserve, research and share knowledge about the medicinal plants and indigenous traditions of the Gabonese forest people for the benefit of all of humanity. Their impact is beyond planting iboga trees: they are working with the Gabonese to define and uphold right relationship with Westerners who want to work with Iboga.

This is a beautiful episode full of nuanced information about Iboga, Bwiti and Gabon. I interviewed David Nassim, BOTF’s co-director, who was so generous in his sharing. He took us through how the Western World has put a huge strain on access to Iboga for the Gabonese, and offers solutions such as upholding the Nagoya protocol, Voacanga Africana as a sustainable ibogaine alternative, and more importantly, really listening to what the Gabonese want and need.

Please donate to BOFT, with only 30 Euros you can sponsor an Iboga tree to be planted in Gabon. If you have worked with Iboga, it’s advised that you sponsor 3-5 trees.

PRODUCTION NOTE: The last few minutes of David’s mic is lower quality, but hang in there for his parting words of wisdom.

Topics covered:

• Iboga sustainability & supply line issues that inspired the formation of Blessings of the Forest
• How the Western World has put a huge strain on access to Iboga for the Gabonese
• Voacanga Africana as a sustainable ibogaine alternative
• How Blessings of the Forest is working on the ground with the Gabonese
• What the West can learn from the Bwiti way of living
• The current process of defining what reciprocity looks like for the Gabonese
• How to support BOTF, the Gabonese and Iboga sustainability

Show Links:

• Sponsor Iboga trees - donate to BOFT
• National Geographic article
• Show Notes

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