Fiji Bio

Fiji Cubensis origins

The Story of Fiji

The Fiji strain has a deeper history in the fungal world than many realize. Its modern lineage was rediscovered in 2014 by Willy Myco, but its earlier echoes trace back to mid-20th century ethnomycology. In the 1950s, Gordon R. Wasson published accounts in The Herbalist of accidental ingestion of mushrooms in Fiji, including a letter from a gold miner in Vatukoula, who described eating mushrooms from dung and experiencing vivid visionary effects. This miner recalled that the mushrooms had a yellowish hue and referred to them using a local phrase, viu-ni-tevoro, translated in some texts as “Devil’s Parasol.”

Wasson’s article did not describe ritual or ceremonial usage of mushrooms among Fijians. In fact, he noted that the culture seemed generally wary of such mushrooms, in contrast to many cultures where Psilocybe mushrooms had sacred or ritual roles. Much of what is known comes from anecdotal letters rather than long-standing local tradition. 

When Willy Myco collected Fiji Wariruarua in 2014, he found fruiting bodies with a distinct deep orange coloring, standard P. cubensis spore profile (purple pigment, normal sporulation), and strong morphological traits. This rediscovery helped preserve what might have been lost or misidentified over time. The strain honors its historical roots, carrying forward both genetic identity and visual distinction.

Supporting References

• Allen, J. W. & Merlin, M. D. The Unintentional Misinterpretation of a Psilocybian Species from Fiji with a Species from Japan by R. Gordon Wasson… (Article in Sacred Mushroom Studies, 2012) — detailing the miner’s account and the name viu-ni-tevoro. (Research gate)

• Gordon R. Wasson’s 1959 article in The Herbalist, based on letters and personal communications from Fiji. (Scribd resource)