Dr. Richard Evans SchultesDr. Richard Evans SchultesHistorical EthnographerHistorical Ethnographer

By: Nathan BeemanBy: Nathan Beeman

Biology 428Biology 428

Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University

BackgroundBackground

Dr. Richard Evans Dr. Richard Evans Schultes Schultes Jan. 12, 1915 to April Jan. 12, 1915 to April 10, 200110, 2001

Born and died in Born and died in Boston, Mass.Boston, Mass.

He was the son of He was the son of German immigrants German immigrants

www.erowid.org

BackgroundBackground

During a lengthy childhood illness he read During a lengthy childhood illness he read Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and the Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and the AndesAndes by Richard Spruce by Richard Spruce

This book would ultimately influence Dr. This book would ultimately influence Dr. Schultes’ career in plant explorationSchultes’ career in plant exploration

He graduated from East Boston High SchoolHe graduated from East Boston High School He received undergraduate and graduate He received undergraduate and graduate

degrees from Harvard Universitydegrees from Harvard University

CareerCareer

He did his undergraduate dissertation research He did his undergraduate dissertation research on Peyote with the Kiowa Indians of on Peyote with the Kiowa Indians of OklahomaOklahoma

This is where he first took on the role of This is where he first took on the role of ethnographerethnographer

Not only did he see the how the plant was used Not only did he see the how the plant was used ceremoniously but the actual role it played in ceremoniously but the actual role it played in the daily lives of these peoplethe daily lives of these people

CareerCareer

No longer was it all about understanding the No longer was it all about understanding the plants, but understanding the cultures in which plants, but understanding the cultures in which they were used was equally as importantthey were used was equally as important

For his graduate thesis he continued the study For his graduate thesis he continued the study of plants with psychoactive propertiesof plants with psychoactive properties

Mushrooms that were used by Aztecs in Mushrooms that were used by Aztecs in Oaxaca, Mexico Oaxaca, Mexico

CareerCareer To his disdain, his To his disdain, his

publication publication Plants of the Plants of the GodsGods became the handbook became the handbook for the 1960’s drug counter-for the 1960’s drug counter-culture lead by figures such culture lead by figures such as Timothy Leary and as Timothy Leary and William S. BurroughsWilliam S. Burroughs

Their recreational drug use Their recreational drug use would stigmatize and cause would stigmatize and cause the rest of western society to the rest of western society to look unfavorably at the look unfavorably at the native cultures who used native cultures who used these sacred plants these sacred plants

www.erowid.org

CareerCareer

In 1941 he began his 12 year stay in the In 1941 he began his 12 year stay in the Columbian Amazon doing research on curare, Columbian Amazon doing research on curare, a mixture of plants used for poison arrowsa mixture of plants used for poison arrows

While there he traveled alone most oftenWhile there he traveled alone most often He learned several native tongues and dialectsHe learned several native tongues and dialects He relied on the hospitality of local indians He relied on the hospitality of local indians

and rarely encountered any hostilityand rarely encountered any hostility

CareerCareer In the advent of WWII he was given an assignment In the advent of WWII he was given an assignment

by the USDA to find seed sources for by the USDA to find seed sources for HeveaHevea, rubber , rubber treestrees

This helped him establish conservation programs that This helped him establish conservation programs that are used today by large drug companiesare used today by large drug companies

They are able to research and extract plants for their They are able to research and extract plants for their medicinal purposes without adversely affecting the medicinal purposes without adversely affecting the quality of life of the native peoplesquality of life of the native peoples

One his greatest fears was that “the native people and One his greatest fears was that “the native people and their knowledge was disappearing faster than plants their knowledge was disappearing faster than plants themselves”themselves”

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

Director of the Botanical Museum and Director of the Botanical Museum and Professor of Biology at Harvard UniversityProfessor of Biology at Harvard University

Collection of over 20,000 specimens and Collection of over 20,000 specimens and discovery of 120 previously unknown speciesdiscovery of 120 previously unknown species

Cross of Boyaca Award; Columbia’s highest Cross of Boyaca Award; Columbia’s highest honorhonor

The naming of the Schultes Preserve, a large The naming of the Schultes Preserve, a large tract of land in the Columbian Amazontract of land in the Columbian Amazon

SourcesSources "The Vaults of Erowid." Web. 18 Feb 2010. "The Vaults of Erowid." Web. 18 Feb 2010.

<http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.<http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/schultes_richard/erowid.org/culture/characters/schultes_richard/images/images/schultes_richard4_med.jpg&imgrefurl=http://schultes_richard4_med.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/schultes_richard/www.erowid.org/culture/characters/schultes_richard/schultes_richard.shtml&h=250&w=200&sz=19&tbnischultes_richard.shtml&h=250&w=200&sz=19&tbnid=1_g64gvMRYCiVM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=89&prevd=1_g64gvMRYCiVM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drichard%2Bevans=/images%3Fq%3Drichard%2Bevans%2Bschultes&hl=en&usg=__8Ww8hGWP4Zl3ILga%2Bschultes&hl=en&usg=__8Ww8hGWP4Zl3ILgaUXG1zzpxmzI=&ei=02V5S5-PMtSX8Aa-UXG1zzpxmzI=&ei=02V5S5-PMtSX8Aa-ndzzCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=imndzzCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CB0Q9QEwAw>. age&ved=0CB0Q9QEwAw>.

Sources Cont.Sources Cont.

"A Tribute to Richard Evans Schultes." Web. "A Tribute to Richard Evans Schultes." Web. 18 Feb 2010. 18 Feb 2010. <http://www.biopark.org/peru/schultes-<http://www.biopark.org/peru/schultes-obit.html>. obit.html>.

Sequeira, Luis. "Richard Evans Schultes 1915-Sequeira, Luis. "Richard Evans Schultes 1915-2001." 2001." biographical Memoirbiographical Memoir 2006: n. pag. 2006: n. pag. Web. 18 Feb 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2010. <http://www.nap.edu/html/biomems/rschultes.<http://www.nap.edu/html/biomems/rschultes.pdf>. pdf>.