The Bridge Keeper project arises from the need to develop ethical values in our intercultural relationships between Western culture and Native peoples, especially in the contemporary context of the use of master plants.

The concept of “Intercultural Ethics” refers to the importance of building a framework of social and historical awareness regarding the use of master plants by Western culture, which is interacting with practices and knowledge ancestrally safeguarded by Indigenous Peoples. Developing ethical discernment in order to fulfill the role of intercultural bridges implies becoming aware of the social and historical differences between our communities, understanding the structural conditions of privilege and oppression that have existed historically and continue to exist today, in order to avoid reproducing inequalities.

A lack of awareness in this area can increase the risk of the disappearance of these knowledge systems, which may lead to cultural appropriation, neo-extractivism, biopiracy, and cultural homogenization, among other risks. In the context of the psychedelic renaissance in the United States and the Western world, this intercultural relationship presents significant challenges. Native cultures have much to teach, and valuable alliances can be built from an intercultural ethical perspective.

This project seeks to foster collective thinking and inspire the creation of dignified ways of embodying the role of bridges, or Bridge Keepers, with the aim of building alliances that protect the values of Indigenous Peoples and guide humanity toward a sustainable path in this New Time.