The Serpent and the Rainbow (book)
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Wade Davis |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombies, and Magic is a 1985 publication authored by anthropologist Wade Davis. In this work, he explores Haitian Vodou and investigates the creation of zombies, focusing on ethnobotanical toxins and asserting their involvement in a documented incident concerning Clairvius Narcisse.
Overview
This book examines the story of Clairvius Narcisse, who professed to have experienced zombification for a duration of two years. While Narcisse attributes his condition to mystical forces, Davis proposes that it stems from a complex combination of tetrodotoxin, the psychoactive plant Datura, and prevailing cultural beliefs.
Davis identifies components of Haitian zombie powder as including substances such as puffer fish, crushed human remains (notably infant skull fragments), freshly killed blue lizards, a dried toad species (Bufo marinus) combined with a marine worm, "tcha-tcha" (Albizzia), and "itching pea" (a type of Mucuna).
The narrative served as the basis for the 1988 horror movie titled The Serpent and the Rainbow.
Criticism
Davis' findings have been met with skepticism due to alleged scientific errors. Some investigators reported minimal or absent tetrodotoxin in the samples he submitted, leading to accusations of deception. In response, Davis suggested that discrepancies could arise from differences in powder recipes, testing inaccuracies, enhanced permeability of the blood–brain barrier, and characteristics inherent to traditional medicine.
It is crucial to note that Davis did not assert that tetrodotoxin-containing zombie powder was employed to sustain "mental slaves." Instead, he maintained it was used solely to trigger an initial death-like state convincing both victims and observers of zombification. Ongoing compliance was purportedly achieved through repeated administration of Datura stramonium, which induces memory loss, delirium, and heightened suggestibility.