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Curanderismo
136
Curanderismo
and Traditional Medicine
in South Texas
Objectives
- Describe the various folk healing methods that are used in the South Texas region.
- Restate the tradition of using various folk healing methods known as curanderismo.
- Recognize the importance of these traditions and their value in their communities.
- Identify the benefits and risks associated with the use of such 'folk healing' in South Texas.
- Explain how this older/traditional healing can complement modern medicine.
Overview
~
Objectives
History of Curanderismo
The development of modern day curanderismo can be traced back
to pre-colonial times and have been influenced by several cultures and practices across the planet.
Connections include original native practices and healing plus Judeo-Christian influences ~ particularly those of the Catholic Church.
Other roots derive from Europe in the Middle Ages, utilizing Old World medicinal plants and 'magical' healing practices from Medieval witchcraft. Moorish (Arab) influences from the conquest of Southern Europe are clearly visible in curanderismo ~ including folk illnesses such as mal de ojo
(the evil eye) ~ and illustrate some homeopathic concepts (Trotter, 2001).
Although several variations of traditional folk medicine and
curanderismo are practiced throughout Latin America, we will (for the
purpose of this presentation) be focusing on Northern
Mexican and Mexican-American curanderismo practices.
History
Brown, 2008
Curanderismo
Curanderismo
Curanderismo is a term referring to the Spanish word curar, meaning ‘to heal’, and is used
to describe the practice of traditional healing in Latin American (Hispanic/Latin) cultures.
In this healing system, it is believed that disease is caused by social, psychological, physical, environmental and spiritual factors ~ a disharmony of body, mind, and spirit. Today it continues to be used by people from all walks of life: health care professionals, physicians, educators, students, and others ~ alone or as an adjunct to your doctor's conventional medical interventions.
In South Texas a wide range of traditional remedies, healing techniques and rituals are practiced by Curanderos/as and many healers have a particular specialty such as: Curandero (traditional healer), Sobador (massage therapist), Parteras (mid-wives), Señora (fortune teller/card reader) and they use various tools including: Las Cartas (tarot cards), Remedios Caseros (home remedies), Mal Ojo con el Huevo (Evil Eye with the egg), barridas (cleanings), etc.
Although the education of the healer is important and many curanderos (male) and curanderas (female) become healers after completing long apprenticeships, greater emphasis is put on the person’s innate capacity to heal others. There is a general belief that healers have a spiritual calling to heal called "El Don".
Rituals and practices are passed down over generations and are heavily rooted in faith, nature,
religion and spirituality. Healers also generally do not charge, charge a small fee or accept offerings or do bartering for their services.
(Tafur, M., Crowe, T., Torres, E., 2009)
Practice
Curanderos/as ~ Specialties of Practice
Curanderos can address a wide array of situations, including:
- Treating persons suffering from cancer by helping to decrease the debilitating
side-effects of chemotherapy.
- Handling the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of facing potentially life-threatening illness (by patient and family).
- Tackling chronic long-term stress of anxiety and depression.
- Balancing internal forces for women who have experienced the termination of a pregnancy and exhibit an unhealthy energy connection to the spirit of the fetus/baby that must be dissolved in order to help restore balance to her physical, spiritual and emotional well-being.
- Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(s) such as that experienced by returning veterans. (Sesma, G., 2017)
Curandero's Three Levels of Knowledge
1.) MATERIAL – Curandero utilizes herbs, animals, eggs, water, candles, cigars, etc.
2.) SPIRITUAL – Curandero serves as medium recognizing the concept of 'soul'
3.) MENTAL – Curandero channels mental vibrations to patient(s)
Examples of different medicinal plants/herbs from Codex Badiano
(Torres, E., 2004)
Types of Curanderos
Yerbero/a: Herbalists that specialize in botanical remedies.
Sobadors/as: Healers using the power of hands, touch; mind/body therapy – holistic approach. Specializes in a sobadita (sprain) and massaje (massage).
Parteras: Mid-wives (a person {typically a female} trained to assist women in childbirth).
Señor/as: Practitioners foretelling future by reading and revealing cards. Focusing on influences from the past, they emphasize the enhancement of their visitor's mental & psychic levels.
Moreover many curanderos/as have multiple specialties. (Tafur, et al, 2009)
~ Products for these remedies can be found at a local botanica or herbal market ~
uranderismo
inema
Curanderos in South Texas
Common Diagnoses
(Tafur, M.,Crowe, T., Torres, E., 2009)
Five common traditional diagnoses (caida de mollera, susto, empacho, mal ojo and envidia)
are used by Mexican healers.
Caida de Mollera: This is a term that refers to the fallen fontanel of an infant’s head located where the coronal and sagittal sutures meet on the superior portion of the head and is used to describe a sunken soft spot on the baby’s head as the result of inefficient suckling, falling from a high surface or because the nipple was quickly pulled, rather than gently removed from the infant’s mouth.
Symptoms include colic, crying, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Susto: This term, which means ‘scared’ in Spanish, is used to describe an
illness that results in soul loss. It is believed that this condition may result in
mental illness and is based on the belief that the soul has left the body because
an event was so traumatic that the soul does not feel safe and is scared to return
to the physical body.
Empacho: This term refers to an intestinal blockage and is believed to be caused by eating something that you do not want to eat, eating spoiled food, eating too much, food getting stuck in the stomach or swallowing gum. Symptoms include stomach ache, bloated stomach, loss of appetite, a hard stomach, nausea and/or stomach cramps.
Mal Ojo (also called Mal de Ojo): This term is translated as an ‘illness caused by staring’, although, it has commonly been referred to as the ‘evil eye’.
Envidia: This term is translated as an illness caused by envy or intense jealousy and is an illness in which a person who is envied or is envious of another becomes ill. Like mal ojo, the bad intent must be neutralized by physically touching the person who is envious or envied.
Common Traditional Illnesses
Curanderos in Falfurias, TX
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Western and
Folk Medicine
Although curanderismo greatly contrasts with Western allopathic medicine in its view of
health, illness and treatment, practitioners needs to be sensitive to the cultural needs of the
Mexican-American who may be using a traditional healer alongside of conventional treatment.
Rather than asking patients to adopt an either/or approach, practitioners should consider the value
in incorporating traditional indigenous medicine and energy healing techniques with modern Western medicine in order to holistically heal an individual.
While many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans incorporate traditional medicine into their healthcare practices, few share this information with their physicians and other healthcare providers. This is often due to fear of being criticized, language barriers and/or belief that providers won't understand the use of folk remedies.
When inquiring about the use of traditional medicine, practitioners should use non-punitive language or tone and should reassure the patient that the reason for inquiry is to maintain his or her safety.
Western and Folk
Medicine
(Tafur, M.,Crowe, T., Torres, E., 2009)
References
Brown, S., 2008. Considering Curanderismo: The Place of Traditional Hispanic Folk Healing in Modern Medicine. Boston College. http://www.bc.edu/clubs/mendel/ethos/archives/2008/brown.shtml
Sesma, G., 2017. Curanderismo. https://www.curanderismo.org/curanderismo-healing
Torres, E., 2004. Mexican Folk Medicine and Folk Beliefs. University of New Mexico. http://www.unm.edu/~cheo/LONG.pdf
Trotter, R., 2001., Curanderismo: A Picture of Mexican-American Folk Healing. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine,Volume 7, Number 2, 2001, pp. 129–131
Tafur M., Crowe T. K., Torres E., 2009. A Review of Curanderismo and Healing Practices Among Mexicans and Mexican Americans. Occupational Therapy International.
Resources:
Avila, Elena and Parker, Joy, 1999. Woman Who Glows in the Dark: A Curandera Reveals Traditional Aztec Secrets of Physical and Spiritual Health. New York: J.P. Tarcher/Putnam.
Bascom, Angella, 2002. Incorporating Herbal Medicine into Clinical Practice (Book)
References
“You know what they call alternative medicine
that's been proved to work? - Medicine.”
> Tim Minchin <