of Peru. The tribe suffered dismemberment through the 
exodus of many groups around the first of this century, 
as a result of persecution during the rubber boom. Due 
to years of harsh treatment as virtual slaves in rubber 
work, they suffered also much cultural disintegration in 
this period. 
They use a tobacco-concentrate, a syrup-like or semi- 
solid extract of a deep brown color, called yera, yeras or 
djerabe (49, 21, 6). 
The largest and greenest leaves from the lower part of 
the plant are boiled slowly in a large earthen pot for sev- 
eral hours. Before the extract becomes thick, it is taken 
from the pot, and alkaline salts are added to it. These 
salts are prepared from the petioles and leaves of a species 
of Chamaedorea and from the young shoots of a species 
of Bactris. They are called cha-pe-nas in Witoto and are 
obtained by the evaporation of the water which has been 
passed through the ashes of the aforementioned plant 
materials (42). 
The preparation of ambil differs little amongst the sun- 
dry groups of Witotos, and this culture-trait has its roots 
deep in Witoto history and mythology (28). There is a 
surprising similarity between this use of tobacco, and 
that of the tribes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. 
To explain this through cultural parallelism would be 
too premature, and it is necessary to delve a bit deeper 
into the history and mythology of the two tribes to ar- 
rive at a satisfactory solution. 
Usually the Indians employ ambi/ together with coca, 
but they occasionally use it alone. Witoto women do 
not chew coca, though some take tobacco. It would seem 
that the vestiges of an ancient taboo against the use of 
these narcotics by women still exists (50). 
Coca preparation likewise presents reminders of ancient 
ceremonials. The fresh green leaves, toasted brown in an 
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