The Tim Ferriss Show

#652: Famed Explorer Wade Davis — How to Become the Architect of Your Life, The Divine Leaf of Immortality, Rites of Passage, Voodoo Demystified, Optimism as the Purpose of Life, How to Be a Prolific Writer, Psychedelics, Monetizing the Creativity of Your Life, and More

Jan 27, 2023

Wade Davis, a celebrated anthropologist and former Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic, ventures into the rich tapestry of cultural narratives. He discusses the transformative effects of psychedelics, navigating rites of passage, and the profound importance of optimism in life. Wade shares captivating tales from indigenous communities, delves into the cultural significance of the coca plant, and explores the complexities of Voodoo in Haiti. His insights on mentorship, personal transformation, and the art of storytelling inspire listeners to embrace authenticity and creativity.

02:34:28

Episode guests

Wade Davis

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Quick takeaways

The importance of activism in anthropology and amplifying the voices of indigenous communities.

The significance of botanical exploration as a means to forge connections with indigenous cultures.

Understanding the complex interplay between sorcery, culture, and zombification in Haiti.

The impact of mentors in shaping one's life trajectory and discovering true passions.

Embracing optimism, courage, and monetizing passions for a fulfilling life.

Deep dives

The Quest for Zombie Poison: Exploring Haitian Sorcery

David Maybury-Lewis, an anthropologist and humanist, was the undergraduate tutor for Wade Davis and instilled in him the belief that activism is an integral part of anthropology. He co-founded Cultural Survival with his wife, Pia, and emphasized the importance of amplifying the voices and concerns of indigenous communities. Davis also mentions his association with Professor Schultes, a renowned botanist who inspired him to pursue botanical exploration as a means to understand culture. Davis shares his experiences in Haiti, where he conducted research on the Haitian zombie phenomenon. He encountered a psychopharmacologist, Dr. Klein, who was fascinated by zombies and sought to find the natural poison used to induce a state of apparent death. Davis delves into the search for zombie poison, which led him to analyze various plants and understanding the role of TTX (turtotoxin) and datura in the process. He explains the cultural significance of zombification in Haiti, and highlights the distinction between being a zombie and becoming a zombie. Davis concludes by reflecting on the moral obligation of anthropologists to tell the stories and support the struggles of indigenous communities.

Find Fulfilment by Architecting Your Own Life

01:59

Practicing Excellence

02:35

Young People Must Stand for Something More Than Themselves

02:09

The Importance of Fighting Evil

01:29

Intro

3min

Exploring Cultural Diversity and Personal Narratives

5min

Cultural Richness and Navigational Wisdom

20min

Coca's Cultural Legacy

7min

Haitian Zombification and Voodoo

22min

The Power of Mentorship and Cultural Engagement

15min

Rites of Passage: Embracing Transition

20min

The Jaguar's Wisdom: Ayahuasca and Indigenous Perspectives

14min

Coca, Psychedelics, and Personal Transformation

20min

10.

Crafting Stories from Experience

21min

11.

Reflections on a Meaningful Conversation and Valuable Offers

6min

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Wade Davis (@wadedavisofficial, daviswade.com) is Professor of Anthropology and the BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia. Between 2000 and 2013, he served as Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. Named by the NGS as one of the Explorers for the Millennium, he has been described as “a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet, and passionate defender of all of life’s diversity.”

An ethnographer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker, Wade holds degrees in anthropology and biology and a PhD in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. Mostly through the Harvard Botanical Museum, he spent over three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer, living among 15 indigenous groups while making some 6000 botanical collections. His work later took him to Haiti to investigate folk preparations implicated in the creation of zombies, an assignment that led to his writing The Serpent and the Rainbow, an international bestseller, later released by Universal as a motion picture. In recent years, his work has taken him to East Africa, Borneo, Nepal, Peru, Polynesia, Tibet, Mali, Benin, Togo, New Guinea, Australia, Colombia, Vanuatu, Mongolia, and the high Arctic of Nunavut and Greenland.

Wade is the author of 375 scientific and popular articles and 23 books including One River, The Wayfinders, Into the Silence, and Magdalena. His photographs have been widely exhibited and have appeared in 37 books and 130 magazines, including National Geographic, Time, Geo, People, Men’s Journal, and Outside. He was curator of “The Lost Amazon: The Photographic Journey of Richard Evans Schultes,” first exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. In 2012 he served as guest curator of “No Strangers: Ancient Wisdom in the Modern World,” at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. He was curator of “Everest: Ascent to Glory,” Bowers Museum, February 12–August 28, 2022. National Geographic has published two collections of his photography: Light at the Edge of the World (2001) and Wade Davis: Photographs (2018).

His 40 film credits include Light at the Edge of the World, an eight-hour documentary series written and produced for National Geographic. His most recent film, El Sendero de la Anaconda, a 90-minute feature documentary shot in the Northwest Amazon, is available on Netflix.

A professional speaker for 30 years, Wade has lectured at over 200 universities and 250 corporations and professional associations. In 2009 he delivered the CBC Massey Lectures. He has spoken from the main stage at TED five times, and his three posted talks have been viewed by 8 million. His books have appeared in 22 languages and sold approximately one million copies.

Wade, one of 20 Honorary Members of the Explorers Club, is Honorary Vice President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and recipient of 12 honorary degrees. He has been awarded the 2009 Gold Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the 2011 Explorers Medal, the 2012 David Fairchild Medal for botanical exploration, the 2015 Centennial Medal of Harvard University, the 2017 Roy Chapman Andrews Society’s Distinguished Explorer Award, the 2017 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration, and the 2018 Mungo Park Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. In 2016, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2018 he became an Honorary Citizen of Colombia.

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[06:34] The Wayfinders.

[17:01] The Earth’s caretakers of Northern Colombia.

[25:31] Coca and mambe.

[34:17] Zombies, mysterious elixirs, and a sorcerer pimp.

[49:35] The social implications of zombification and dangers of datura.

[57:57] David Maybury-Lewis, Richard Evans Schultes, and living exploration.

[1:02:13] Why helping young people is a top priority for Wade.

[1:07:43] Pessimism is an indulgence. Choose optimism.

[1:13:10] Rites of passage.

[1:17:26] The night Wade had to light himself on fire.

[1:20:37] The scar Wade doesn’t regret.

[1:23:41] Raising kids to be better citizens of the world.