Acullico

Acullico, chacchado, akulliku, acuyico (quechua word akullikuy), acusi, pijcho or mascada is a social, ritual and medicinal practice where a small bolus of coca is placed in the mouth between the cheek and jaw.[1] It is a practice of various regions in South America, such as Northwest Argentina, Western Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia to reduce altitude sickness due to the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere in high altitudes, and reduce fatigue, hunger and indigestion.[2]

Consumption

Usually, the coca leaves are chewed alongside a small amount of an alkaline substance, such as bicarbonate of soda,[3] lime or the ashes of a plant known natively as 'lejía', or 'llipta' when it is quinoa, in order to increase effectiveness.

References
  1. MAGNY, Caroline (2009). Cuando ya no se puede tomar trago ni chacchar coca. El caso de los conversos "protestantes" en los Andes centrales peruanos. Vol. S6. Anthropology of food. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  2. TORCHETTI, Tracy (1994). Coca Chewing and High Altitude Adaptation. Vol. 1. Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  3. "La coipa de los salares andinos". El Tribuno. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
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