A Brief History of the Native American Church by Jay Fikes from
One Nation Under God Copyright (c) 1996 by Huston Smith Used by
the Council on Spiritual Practices with permission. All rights
reserved. Veneration of the small spineless cactus called peyote
probably began immediately after the first hunter-gatherers
discovered its remarkable effects. The Native American
deification of the plant is estimated to be about 10,000 years
old. Peyote cactus buttons uncovered in Shumla Cave in southern
Texas have been radiocarbon dated to 5,000 B.C. The Huichol
Indians of northwestern Mexico still use peyote sacramentally.
Their peyote pilgrimage may have been in place by 200 A.D.
Scholars consider it the oldest sacramental use of peyote in
North America. Huichols revere Peyote as the heart, soul, and
memory of their Creator, Deer-Person. Huichol healers and
singers achieve such union with their Creator, as incarnated in
Peyote, that Peyote speaks through them, as here: If you come to
know me intimately, you shall be l