Russia, Siberia snuff

Known among the Yupik Eskimo of Nelson Island as iqemik, the bracket fungus Fomes pinicola was burnt and the ashes were then mixed with snuff, said to give it a real ‘kick’. On the other side of the Bering Strait the Kamchadal people used a fungus to make a snuff. The Khanty (Ostyak) people of western Siberia made a snuff out of a birch fungus, and they still use the ashes of the poly-pore fungus, Phellinus nigricans, in the making of a chewing tobacco mixture that is used by both MEN AND WOMEN. Both the North American Indians and the Siberians use a number of different kinds of fungi as sacred incenses to drive away evil spirits and to ritually purify themselves.

I just checked MrSnuff and there doesn’t appear to be a snuff using fungi. I can imagine it working. Perhaps a recreation of a one of the above could find an appreciative audience.

http://punkash.com/

There you go. Sounds trippy!

http://punkash.com/

@dasr The things you are describing don’t surprise me. I was born in an inupiaq eskimo village and I have heard talk of the yupik eskimos in the bethel, alaska area collecting a tree fungus and somehow burning it and essentially smoking the fumes for an intoxicating effect of some kind though I haven’t actually ever seen it. It might be the same type of thing.

http://punkash.com/

Wow. Sounds fascinating but it will be a while before I put fungus in my nose. But… On second thought, I do have some nasty looking fungus accumulating in my shower. I will have to call ChefDaniel and ask him how to add shower fungus to snuff. :smiley: Hmmm, maybe that fungus is also the funny growth on my toes. Just Kidding!!! :-q

At ease disease, there a fungus among us …

Known among the Yupik Eskimo of Nelson Island as iqemik, the bracket fungus Fomes pinicola was burnt and the ashes were then mixed with snuff, said to give it a real ‘kick’. On the other side of the Bering Strait the Kamchadal people used a fungus to make a snuff. The Khanty (Ostyak) people of western Siberia made a snuff out of a birch fungus, and they still use the ashes of the poly-pore fungus, Phellinus nigricans, in the making of a chewing tobacco mixture that is used by both MEN AND WOMEN. Both the North American Indians and the Siberians use a number of different kinds of fungi as sacred incenses to drive away evil spirits and to ritually purify themselves.

My ancestors in Norway used birch ashes to preserve cod – lutefisk. GREAT stuff… sorta’ like codfish jello! The Wisconsin Employees’ Right to Know Law specifically exempts lutefisk in defining “toxic substances”.

The fungus part kind of worries me. Eat it yes, up my nose, I don’t think so

I will pass on the fungus, but we have seen how some cheese is made, covered in fungus, and then people actually consume it… all sorts of food really. Heres what the website says about their product. Chewing Tobacco + Alaskan Punk Ash Equals = Eskimo Cocaine! Well. The first one of you to try it up the schnoz, let us know.

I’d imagine that as it is an ash, there are no live spores. Just carbon and other minerals that synergize with the tobacco.

@dasr: Sounds familiar, I got this expanation from a Pakistani:

Usually
people use black naswar (black snuff) which is prepared by grinding dried
tobacco, wood ash and lime stone and mixed with water using rollers for around
20-25 minutes (the prepared Naswar/Snuff can be seen in the given picture).
After its prepared, people usually make a small ball around 2-3 grams and place
it between their upper lip and gum or lower lip and gum for around 10-20
minutes.

Some of my friends are back in town visiting from Alaska and I had them pick me a baggie (literally) of punk ash before they left. I took some and mixed it with some water into a can of General Loose. I haven’t dipped it just yet (I’m a little intimidated, to be honest) but I’ll be sure to report back.

I can’t see myself sticking this in my nose, though!

Okay, I gave the blackbull a shot last night. Upon dipping into the can I realized my mix was a little heavy on the water, so it was a bit messy and I’ll have to mix in a little more punk ash. However, I did definitely get a distinct, head-clearing lift similar to what I experience after a strong hit of snuff. I don’t know how much can be chalked up to placebo effect, of course (; Didn’t seem to hurt the flavor a bit, either.

There is also some Indian tooth powder that is made primarily from charcoal that a major soap and perfume supplier used to sell (and possibly still does). It gives a nice feeling but when you rinse it looks scary. It would be unfortunate to mix up the tooth powder and snuff, I would imagine…