The Bwiti tradition is from central West Africa, and it is not a religion. Bwiti is the study of life, nature, the art of healing, and one's self. There are no beliefs; there is only the art of knowing. The tradition centers around observing the truth, and truth is verified through direct experience and at least 3 of our human senses. The long oral tradition supports this lifelong journey of discovery. It is both mystical and grounded into embodied life and the earth itself.
The ceremonial and reverent use of the Iboga root is integral to the Bwiti tradition for spiritual initiation, spiritual and physical healing, shamanic diagnosis and prescription, community celebration ceremonies, self-study, prayerful microdosing, direct communication with nature spirits, fertility and aphrodisiac purposes, an endurance and vision aid during long hunts (in light doses), spiritual travel through space and time, and communion with ancestors as well as the healing of ancestral lines.
Knowledge of iboga was first held by the Babongo people, otherwise known as the Pygmies, who then passed on the practice to sects within the Bwiti tradition. As the 2nd oldest genetic line in the world, the Babongo people may have worked with iboga since ancient times.
This page is a humble introduction to this vast and rich tradition with many unique branches within it, and this is by no means a comprehensive definition. In fact, much of the traditional knowledge and practices are reserved for initiates.