In 1957, Schultes (46) published a note on their novel 
formula. Powdered coca and its accompanying ashes are 
treated with smoke from the burning resin of Protiwm 
heptaphyllum by means of long tubes through which the 
smoke is blown into the center of a pile of coca-powder. 
A resinous, aromatic savour is thus given to the coca 
which greatly improves its taste. his method is an as- 
tonishing refinement in coca-preparation and gives cause 
to wonder whether the Amazon Indians acquired coca 
in pre-Hispanic days, since this refinement was not men- 
tioned in the Spanish chronicles nor by the Colonial 
writers nor by subsequent travellers and naturalists. It 
is also true that these peoples are next to unknown and 
that few modern naturalists and no earlier chroniclers 
ever got into their area. Here is most certainly a good 
case for independent invention, and probably a recent 
one, since the main group of ‘T'animukas in the Popeyaca 
still prepare coca following the general Amazonian 
method. They sometimes, however, journey for several 
days to the Peritomé to buy the incensed coca for special 
occasions from their separated brethren. 
Maku: linguistic family or families undetermined, 
according to Schultes (personal communication). Cf. 
the classification of Koch-Griinberg (22). 
In the little-known forests between the lower Apa- 
poris and Vaupés Rivers of Colombia and in adjacent 
Brazil, there live groups of nomadic Indians collectively 
called Makus. There appear to be a number of distinct 
languages involved, at least one of which has been 
thought, perhaps on superficial evidence, to be remotely 
related to Puinave. The Makus, who practice no agri- 
culture, have no canoes, build no houses and use no 
clothing, are extremely primitive in all respects. Some 
individuals have been enslaved for manual labor by the 
strong ‘T'ukanoan tribes. 
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