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Hold Life Has: Coca And Cultural Identity In An Andean Community By Catherine J. Allen

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For those interested in anthropological studies of cultural practices related to plants like coca, Catherine J. Allen's book "The Hold Life Has: Coca and Cultural Identity in an Andean Community" offers valuable insights. Drawing on years of fieldwork among Andean communities Allen examines how this leaf has been integral not just for economic purposes but also as part of deeply ingrained cultural traditions such as offerings or medicinal practices among others. Through her engaging narrative she presents a complex analysis of the many ways in which coca is embedded into Andean identity and everyday life
In "The Hold Life Has: Coca and Cultural Identity in an Andean Community" second edition, Catherine J. Allen provides a close examination of the cultural significance of coca leaves in the lives of the Sonquo people, an Andean community in Peru. Allen's ethnography is a detailed exploration of the role that coca plays in the everyday lives and cultural identity of the Sonquo people.
At the heart of coca culture in Sonqo is the ritual of the coca leaf reading, or k'intu. K'intus are offerings of three coca leaves, arranged in a triangular pattern, which are used to invoke the spirits of the mountains, the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth), and other deities. The leaves are chewed, mixed with saliva, and then blown onto the k'intu, which …show more content…

Another aspect of Sonquo culture that Allen explores in detail is the use of coca leaves in social interactions. Coca is commonly used in social situations such as business negotiations, where it is offered as a sign of respect and goodwill. Allen describes how the exchange of coca leaves serves as a way for the Sonquo people to establish and maintain social relationships, reinforcing the bonds of community and reinforcing their cultural

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