Manuela Picq: The People Behind the Coca Leaf - The Many Faces of Coca Part Three

This is the human center of The Many Faces of Coca. By the time coca enters Western conversations, it’s already been abstracted—reduced to policy, drugs, or crime. But for millions of people, coca isn’t any of those things. It’s daily life. In this final episode of the series, we speak with political theorist and anthropologist Manuela Picq, who has lived and worked alongside communities in the Andes and Amazon. This conversation moves beyond theory and into lived reality—how coca functions as food, medicine, memory, and community. We explore: – Why coca is not cocaine—and why that distinction matters – How prohibition reshapes entire communities – The generational loss of cultural knowledge – The role of women as keepers of coca traditions – How global policy decisions impact real lives on the ground – Why the war on coca may actually be a war on people If Parts 1 and 2 explored the science and history of coca, this episode asks a deeper question: What does it mean to live with this plant today? This is Part 3 of The Many Faces of Coca Featuring conversations with Wade Davis, Dennis McKenna, and Manuela Picq Chapters: 00:00 Intro – Coca as Lived Reality (Not Policy) 04:05 Who Defines Coca? (Culture vs Western Narratives) 09:51 How Coca Became Criminalized 13:22 Coca in Daily Life (Food, Medicine, Community) 18:02 From Tradition to Cash Crop 22:19 Who Pays the Price? (Violence & Exploitation) 25:45 Prohibition, Capitalism & the Drug War 28:35 Women, Knowledge & Hidden Traditions 33:37 Is Coca Control Really About Power? 36:32 The UN, Policy & Global Disconnect 40:09 What the World Gets Wrong About Coca 41:15 Closing Thoughts (End of Interview) 43:07 Post-Conversation Reflection (Why This Series Matters) 45:31 Where to Go Next (Series, Patreon, Discord) Send us Fan Mail Love the podcast? Help keep the conversations going by checking out our official merch shop! We've got t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, stickers, and more, with new designs added regularly. Every purchase helps support independent, honest conversations about psychedelics, science, and culture. Shop now: https://divergent-states-shop.fourthwall.com/ FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo Project Our listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10 Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike, and our Thumbprint Tier member, Angie on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod