‘far from being a frenetic orgy’; the movements of dancers become an expression of
unity. Participants may end up dancing synchronously, facing the same direction or
feeling as if linked into a single, connected system. The doof ritual gains in intensity
through the night, reaching a plateau of liminality and excitement after midnight,
which continues through the early morning hours and gradually winds down after
sunrise. The music generally becomes lighter and more melodic in the morning
light; people recognize friends they had not known were present. Many people
continue to dance; others wander about exploring the environment. Many don
sunglasses^14 or seek out caffeinated beverages.
the mornings are an incredible time at these parties, very different to the
night, like the night’s a more intense dance thing and then the morning, it’s
suddenly more like ‘here’s the community together, still playing around’.
(‘K’, from tape-recorded interview)Pharmacological aspectsThe substances or combinations of substances used in dance rituals share a number
of key pharmacological similarities. The major similarities are that they each
produce a sense of dissociation or depersonalization, they all have a net stimulating
effect, and they are all capable of producing visions or a sense of contact with
transpersonal realities. Peyote produces wakefulness, depersonalization and visions.
The entheogenic effects of peyote are largely referrable to its principal active
constituent mescaline, although small amounts of related alkaloids are also present
(Anderson 1996). Drinking yajé can also produce depersonalization and visions.
Yajé visions are partly attributable to its DMT content. Yajé by itself is not an
effective stimulant; indeed, it tends to produce an irresistible torpor. However, when
yajé is used for ceremonial dances it is often taken in conjunction with large
quantities of Amazonian coca (Erythroxylum coca var. ipadu), which helps to counter
the yajé lassitude so that participants may easily remain awake through the night
(Ott 1996). The effects of eboka are somewhat more difficult to classify The most
studied alkaloid of eboka, ibogaine, is a tryptamine derivative chemically related to
DMT, psilocybin and LSD (Shulgin and Shulgin 1997). In large doses it produces
visions and a ‘depersonalizing’ effect comparable to those produced by mescaline or
DMT; however, it is generally taken at lower doses that function as a strong
stimulant to increase ‘ritual output’ (Fernandez 1972).
The use of psychedelics at doofs has been widespread, though not at all universal.
By far the most common material taken at doofs seems to be LSD, colloquially
known as ‘acid’ or ‘trips’. LSD is one of the classic psychedelics, with strong vision-
inducing properties comparable to those of peyote or yajé (Peyton and Shulgin
1994), although it generally causes less nausea than either and is longer acting. LSD
has some resemblance to eboka in that it has pronounced stimulating properties and
its ingestion can give rise to dissociated states of consciousness. MDMA (Ecstasy)
has also been very popular within Australia. The combination of MDMA and LSD
136 DES TRAMACCHI