The origin of culture

Danilo Anton

Once humans became omnivorous, they also gradually became. consumers of psychoactive plants. Simultaneously a slow process of evolution changed their physical form, their capacity to manipulate tools and  to create and understand symbols. This allowed humans to generate a distinguishing quality: the development of culture.

Cultures are indeed a essential and variable part of human societies. They appear, they evolve, diverge. 

When the first cultures were generated, they started an unstoppable process of change. Rituals, ceremonies and spiritual approaches to existence were created.

Highly complex communication systems were spoken, designed or written.

And finally, scientific and technological concepts and devices were imagined and built. Because of their origin and evolution in constant contact with psychoactive plants, human primates acquired a natural fascination with altered states of consciousness. 

The deeply generated messages that were activated by the psychoactive plants allowed spiritual growth.

For this reason, understanding human cultures requires taking into account the role of psychoactive plants to develop them.

Without psycoactive plants cultural evolution becomes meaningless.

Perhaps this may explain the unique attraction, sometimes obsession, that us, humans, feel for these powerful plants.

It should not be forgotten, the Plants provide the codes that allow to decipher essential characteristics of the human species.

They are keys to understand ourselves beyond superficial appearances.

From: "Peoples, Drugs and Serpents", Danilo Anton, Piriguazu Ediciones

 The influence of diet in human evolution

Danilo Anton

Little is known about the influence of diet and exotic metabolites in mutations occurred during the evolution of the human species.

We know that early humans had a varied diet by studying their teeth and jaws and remains found in archeological sites. 

Surely the archaic diet was very diverse: fish 3   , aquatic invertebrates, fruits, honey, eggs, mushrooms, stems, roots and plant leaves, and to a lesser extent birds, mammals, reptiles and other terrestrial organisms. The meat of terrestrial vertebrates was incorporated into the diet in later times when humans started using the fire to cook their meals.

. Likewise, consumption of grains from grasses (gramineae) took place ​​when new technologies were developed to process the seeds. This occurred when selected strains with an increased size of the edible parts, and more particularly, when grasses could be planted over larger areas.

This process was gradual and took place relatively late in human evolution, about 10,000 years ago.

However, over a long period, the diet had a great diversity and communities continued experimenting with the multiple sources of local foods.

Since ancient times, this exploration led to the discovery that certain plants had the power to increase sensory abilities.

Some of these plants acted directly on the nervous system, particularly on the mind, resulting in altered states of consciousness

They are now called “psychoactive” plants

In many ecosystems of the planet, psychoactive species are numerous.   Their characteristics are varied as it is their impact on human psyche. They belong to several phyla: fungi, cacti, grasses, vines, shrubs and trees. The active parts of the plant are also multiple: leaves, fruits, barks or roots, and even flowers. 

The effect occurs when the absorption of the plant products take place, either through direct ingestion, chewing or sucking, drinking infussions and even through the aspiration of fumes and vapors.

The “discovery” of these plants, their effects and how best to consume them were gradual processes, of which, for lack of direct information, we know very little. 

Perhaps in many cases it took place as a result of repeated tests, associated experiences of success and failure, and transgenerational  trasmission of consumption experiences.

According to the claims of many shamans who still use these plants in some parts of the world, the plants themselves communicate their messages and their effect would be stronger or better, when consumed in the proper spiritual framework.

Whatever the origin, human ancestors realized that certain food sources had special and beneficial effects. Some suppressed appetite, others allowed to relieve pain or provided sudden bursts of energy. There were plants that conferred immunity to diseases and others, the psychoactive plants, that generated modified states of consciousness.

Repeated use of these plants, generation after generation, for several  hundred thousand years, had a selective effect on the human species.

Those individuals or communities who consumed the appropriate plants were better able to survive and reproduce. They had higher visual acuity, better smell and hearing and stronger ability for sexual recognition. Those who did not were in a position of clear inferiority. Over time the selective pressure favored the groups who consumed the psychoactive plant. Tens or hundreds thousands of years later most human communities became consumers of such plants.

This diet is perhaps responsible for the loss of basic sensory capabilities of the human species. These substances included in the regular diet made unnecessary to devote energy to maintain those physiological sensory capacities at peak levels. For that reason, human beings decreased their visual acuity, its smell and hearing deteriorated (to the point that are much lower than most mammals today), and the sexual olfactory recognition decreased..

While these processes of sensory reduction occurred, a gradual increase in capacity for generation and interpretation of symbols, intellect and imagination took place. 

By acting directly on the nervous system, these substances accentuated the complexity and size of the brain.

The result was the emergence of new forms of social relationships as language and culture. These repeated findings were key to propel humans in their long evolutionary journey towards nervous complexity, spirituality expansion and self-reflection.

The current diet which lack in many of these psychoactive elements is clearly imperfect and incomplete. 

To a large extent, the problems of contemporary “civilized” societies lie in the unavailability of the substances neccesary to meet the dietary needs of the species. To this we must add the denaturalization of food that reaches us through industrial processes, which is part of the alienation of the nature which has become the rule in present globalized societies.

From "Peoples, Drugs and Serpents", Danilo Anton, Piriguazú Ediciones

Reviewing dogmas about the origin of the human species
Danilo Anton

The Aquatic Ape theory
From the 1930's, and for the next 5 or 6 decades the couple of Louis and Mary Leakey and later several members of their family, discovered pre-human fossils which were called Australopithecus and along with other anthropologists developed the theory of the origin of human species in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The basic hypothesis was that these anthropoids lived in a savannah environment where they had evolved from the original forest. This hypothesis became a dogma that was taken by the anthropological elite as an indisputable fact.
Other researchers developed a different theory: humans had an amphibious phase which give them several very specific physiological characteristics typical of marine animals. They were Allister Hardy (English marine biologist who for many years did not disclose his theory for fear of losing his university post) and later Elaine Morgan, a writer from Wales, who published several books on the subject (including "The Descent of Woman" and "The Aquatic Ape").

These books included a thorough analysis of an amphibian origin of the human species and were "best seller" in Europe and North America. The academic hierarchy of anthropology ignored or despised this work despite the existence of the strong evidence developed by Morgan and others, including the famous biologist David Attenborough.
Elaine Morgan, who died two years ago was scorned for being "foreign" to the anthropological discipline but his brilliant work allowed to rethink the human origin with a radically different approach and strong scientific bases. Today dogmatic "anthropologists" continue to dominate the subject and try to ignore the "aquatic ape"  but this is becoming increasingly difficult because the hard data of science are showing that we, humans, are who we are, because our distant ancestors lived on the shores of lakes and seas, feeding on aquatic organisms, swimming and diving, for hundreds of thousands of years.

It's worth reading the work of Elaine Morgan, fundamental works of paleoanthropology.
(See also daniloanton.blogspot.com, and the book "Peoples Drug and Snakes" of D.Antón, Piriguazú editions.)

Humans experienced an aquatic phase during their evolution?

The Aquatic ape theory

D.Anton

The theory of human evolution, a key element of the reigning scientific paradigm, is no exception to the authoritarian dogmatism of the official scientific establishment.

Several decades ago academic  authorities decreed that the human species originated in African savannas. To sustain this theory there were numerous arguments, including several hundred fossil bone fragments and some tools.

The “savanna” origin of human primates became an article of faith. Virtually no one dared to contradict it. Until 1930 when an English biologist named Allister Hardy noted some contradictions of the “Theory of the Savannah” and proposed an alternative vision: human beings had developed as such through an amphibious stage of their evolution.

In 1960, after almost thirty years of preaching, The New Scientist agreed to publish an article of his entitled: “Was man more aquatic in the past?” (March, 1960, 642-645 dpi.). During twelve years the paper was ignored.

Only in 1972 the concepts of Hardy were taken by a talented Welsh writer. Her name was Elaine Morgan and she published a book entitled “The Descent of Woman”.

The title was a play on words contradicting the Darwinian famous book called “The Ascent of Man”.

Morgan’s book was completely neglected by the scientific “establishment”. In despite of this disregard, many people payed attention to the idea and the book gradually became a “best seller”.

Ten years after this first book, Ms Morgan published another one on the subject: “The Aquatic Ape” (1982). Then followed “Scars of Evolution” (1990), “The Aquatic Ape: Fact or Fiction” (1991). “The Descent of the Child, 1994) and “The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis” (1997).

All works of Elaine Morgan had great success with the public. Thirty years later it was very hard to ignore the persistent writer, who also became an expert in paleoanthropology.

The arguments of the “Aquatic Ape Theory” were overwhelming.

Humans are very different from savannah animals and, instead, have much affinity with amphibious mammals.

As marine mammals, they have very little body hair, possess 10 times more fat than other primates, and even more at birth.  Unlike ordinary fat in other apes, their fat is subcutaneous belonging to the type called “white fat”. This fat does not provide immediate energy and serves more as thermal insulation and buoyancy (as in aquatic mammals). 
Taken from the book "Peoples, Drugs and Serpents",  Danilo Anton, Piriguazú Ediciones.

The  origin of culture 

 Danilo Anton

 Once  humans became omnivorous, they also gradually became consumers of psychoactive plants. Simultaneously, a slow process of evolution changed their physical form, the capacity to manipulate tools and to create and understand symbols. This allowed humans to generate a distinguishing quality: the development of Culture.

Cultures are indeed an essential and variable part of human societies. They appear, they evolve, diverge.

When the first cultures were generated, they started an unstoppable process of change. Rituals, ceremonies and spiritual systems were created.

Highly complex communication systems were spoken, written or designed.     And finally, scientific and technological concepts and devices were invented and built.

Because of their origin and evolution in constant contact with psychoactive plants, human primates acquired a natural fascination with altered states of consciousness. 

The momentous messages that were activated by the Master Plants allowed spiritual growth.

For this reason, understanding human cultures requires taking into account the role of psychoactive plants. Without psychoactive plants cultural evolution becomes meaningless.

Perhaps this may explain the unique attraction, sometimes obsession, that us, humans, feel for these powerful plants.

It should not be forgotten.  Master Plants provide the codes to decipher essential characteristics of the human species.

These are keys to understand ourselves beyond appearances.

From the book "Peoples, Drugs and Serpents", Danilo Anton, Piriguazu Ediciones

Grandparents of the seashore

Grandparents of the seashore

Danilo Anton

That day the sea was calm.

The sun cleared wisps of cloud and quickly rose away from the horizon toward the highe

st point of the blue dome.

Several men were swimming in the bay and regularly diving for food. A few women remained in the shallower areas and every now and then swimmed a few strokes away from the beach and then returned.

Some children were swimming near the women and babies stayed afloat strongly clinging to the mothers long hair.

This people were excellent swimmers. For many thousands of lunar months they approached the shores of the sea and lagoons to search for food.

They developed great skill with their hands. Their long fingers and opposable thumbs adapted marvelously to the exploration within the sandy and clayey bottoms, where shellfish lives.

The skin on their palms had spread slightly between the fingers to facilitate swimming.

Gradually their bodies had lost their old fur and now appeared smooth, tanned, just covered by a slight, almost invisible hair.

Adult males had their faces and breasts covered by curly hairs that showed their manhood in the eyes of females.

Very young children spent many hours in the water with their mothers. They instinctively swam from birth. The tasks of caring for infants were shared by women and men.

When night came, the group left the water and took refuge under the palm trees growing along the beach.

When the sea was rough, they preferred to remain on land where there was also enough food.  Many plants and animals provided a varied diet which complemented well the usual tasty menu of oysters and crabs.

The trees gave nutritious fruits and some plants had leaves and edible flowers.

There were animals that they could kill and eat.  Some were small and agile, others were large and powerful. But these animal-humans had managed to hunt through cunning ambushes or traps hidden in the foliage.

Some animals were very important because in their droppings special, almost magic, fungi grew.  When they ate them they increased their sensitivity and skill. They could see much further away, feel extremely mild odours and hear almost inaudible sounds, allowing them to find rodents or other animals inside their deep burrows.

The mushrooms had other main properties. Under their effect it was possible to hear the voice of the Mother Serpent.  She appeared in visions to explain the past and the future.

These animal-humans were at the same time, creatures of the sea and the forests, they could swim almost as dolphins, they were able to quickly climb the trunks of erect palms and, if necessary, ran quickly on the sands of the beaches.

We do not know how they called themselves. Probably they used different names according to their traditions and places.

We don't know either how much time has passed since then.

Maybe 3 or 4 million years.

A few bones testify of their existence.

Some scientists have named ​​them with, hard to remember terms:, Australopithecus africanus , Australopithecus robustus, Australopithecus afarensis , and other similar appellations.

Of those who lived near the beaches, may be the majority, very few remains were preserved.

The only incontrovertible remains are ourselves.

Some define them as primitive, semi-human, a very small and simple precursor to the "real" human beings who were to appear in the future version.

Surely it was not.

The spiritual essence that brings us together as a species  was already there. From them we came to be what we are ..

This happened long ago.

It was the time when humans were still brothers and sisters of animals and plants.