Giant African Snail Mucus

Florida law officials are investigating an alleged case of illegal importation of smuggled giant African snails to these shores. Permitted into the country only for restricted, specified scientific purposes, the giant African snail is just one of many invasive species sending Florida authorities into hysterics.

Acting on a tip, search warrants were served against one Charles Steward, 48, of Miami-Dade Country last January. Steward, a practitioner and leader of a small African animist sect, was suspected of keeping several of the snails in a large box. The snails are employed in religious services led by Steward. As of March, Steward had not been charged with any crime.

The religious role played by the giant African snail is essential to a healing rite. As part of the healing ritual devotees are required to consume the mucus of the snail. Exactly how the snail is persuaded to part with its mucus is not explained. In any case, a number of worshipers complained of becoming sick afterward - surprisingly so, since the mucus was being employed in a healing service - which is how wildlife authorities became aware of undocumented giant African snails in Florida. Steward himself was quick to point out that his religion is not the Santeria religion, which also employs some, um, non-standard rituals, but that of Ifa Orisha, which he allows is often confused with Santeria. The finer points of the doctrinal differences between the two elude me.

While some forbidden substances used in religious rites - such as peyote - have found, shall we say, acceptance in niche markets, and while it is never safe to predict where humanity's next religious impulse will lead, I do not think snail mucus has much chance of appearing in any religious supply catalogs soon. That's just a hunch, but I'm going with it.

source: Miami Herald