by Alan Forsberg
This article briefly describes the beneficial qualities, constructive uses, and profound cultural significance of the coca leaf for the indigenous Andean peoples highlighting examples from Bolivia – a country in the vanguard of the defense of the sacred leaf. More specifically I will describe the natural coca leaf’s renowned nutritional and therapeutic qualities, explain how coca has long been used for millennia as a ritual tool for divination, social interaction, and as a link to deities and the mother earth that they worship. I will also explain how coca became institutionalized as a key cultural symbol of solidarity, identity, and resistance for the native Andean people in the face of colonial and neocolonial domination. I will then describe the implications of the recent boom in the economic value of coca caused by the increased demand from the cocaine industry, combined with pressures to completely outlaw and eradicate the coca leaf. These contradictory foreign demands for the drug cocaine and for the prohibition of the natural coca leaf threaten to deprive the traditional consumers of their coca, thus creating a powerful social force of rebellion arising in defense of the traditional meanings and uses of coca in the face of threats to this traditional way of life and the very identity of indigenous Andeans. I conclude this historical analysis by bringing us up to date on constructive uses of the leaf in wider society and the current struggle to recognize the coca leaf as an intangible heritage of humanity and access Many STIs Qualities beneficial to a basic human right for everyone. Http://www.accionandina.org/documentos/Wonders-of-the-Coca-Leaf.pdf
The Wonders of Coca
by Alan Forsberg
This article briefly describes qualities beneficial, constructive uses, and the deep cultural significance of the coca leaf is indigenous to the Andes. Highlighting examples of Bolivia - a country at the forefront of the defense of the sacred leaf. Specifically, I will describe nutritional and therapeutic qualities recognized natural coca leaf, explain how the coca has been used for millennia as a tool divination ritual, social interaction, and as a link between humans and the gods and who worship Mother Earth. I will also explain how the coca was institutionalized as a key cultural symbol of solidarity, identity and resistance of Andean indigenous peoples against colonial and neocolonial domination. Then explain the implications of the recent boom in the economic value of the coca caused by increased demand for cocaine industry, along with pressure to completely prohibit and eradicate coca leaf. These conflicting demands for the drug cocaine foreign and international ban on natural coca leaf threaten to deprive traditional consumer of coca, creating a powerful social force of rebellion raised in the defense of the meanings and traditional uses of coca against threats to this traditional way of life and the very identity of indigenous peoples / originating in the Andes. I conclude this historical analysis updates on constructive uses of the leaf in society in general and the ongoing struggle to recognize the coca leaf as a world heritage site and access to its many beneficial qualities a fundamental human right for everyone. At the moment this only available in English. Http://www.accionandina.org/documentos/Wonders-of-the-Coca-Leaf.pdf
http://coca-si.blogspot.com/ Page impeller del comite para la hoja de la revalorización Coca Cochabamba - Bolivia 
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