Curandera

A curandero is a Mexican-American folk healer that heals physical, mental, and spiritual illnesses. The folk healer uses prayer, faith, and herbal remedies to heal. People associate repeated healing with healthy relationships between people, culture, and the environment. In the poem, “Curandera”, by Pat Mora and the novel, “Bless Me, Ultima”, by Rudolfo Anaya portray the curandera in different and similar ways. The literary works consist of common characteristics and qualities that the curanderos possess irrespective of the different genders. In both poems, the curanderos are knowledgeable. Besides, they have a close connection with nature, and the people from their towns respect them greatly.

A curandero is a Mexican-American folk healer that heals physical, mental, and spiritual illnesses. The folk healer uses prayer, faith, and herbal remedies to heal. People associate repeated healing with healthy relationships between people, culture, and the environment. Mora and Anaya portray the curandera in different and similar ways. The literary works consist of common characteristics and qualities that the curanderos possess irrespective of the different genders. In both poems, the curanderos are knowledgeable. Besides, they have a close connection with nature, and the people from their towns respect them greatly.

Curanderismo is a healing practice that has evolved from traditional Indigenous medicinal practices and Catholic rituals. Curanderismo focuses on spirituality, mind-body balance, and connection. Becoming a curandero or curandera involves a long journey where you must learn from an experienced curandera. In blessing me, Ultima Antonino seeks life guidance from Ultima. Ultima guides Antonio to make his own moral decisions rather than blindly following external authority in his case, his mother and father.

As human beings, one is often filled with apprehension and unease when introduced to something that is hard to understand, “Curanderismo is a diverse folk healing system of Latin America. It began with the Aztecan, Mayan, and Incan tribes and their religious beliefs of harmony with nature, spirit, and self. The Mexican Indians had many gods; they believed that their gods punished sins with illness” (Padilla). This practice is centuries old and a synthesis of the beliefs and culture of the Mexican Indians at that time and was used as a pardon to their gods until the church was implemented and changed that idea entirely. Curanderismo since the beginning has broken the number one commandment, “I am the Lord your God and you shall not have strange

Folk medicine is often practiced. Appalachia is characterized by poor health behaviors, poor health status, and health

In modern medicine, alternative therapies are poorly understood and studied. The preference for alternative therapies, and herbal medicine were indicated, and the fear of relinquishing information regarding these practices were almost paralyzing. It seemed as though they were ashamed to admit to cultural healing practices, and did not divulge information to practitioners regarding their usage. The cultural disconnect was present as alternative/complimentary medicines are valued as a culture, and “modern” practitioners cast judgment on their usage. This perceived stigma additionally limited the information shared by the cultural participants with modern medical treatments, potentially causing additional harm, as some herbals are potentially toxic.

Native American traditional medicine and spiritual healing rituals go back for thousands of years, these traditions often focus on different variations of alternative medicine. This knowledge is passed on throughout generations, many of the tribes learn that by mixing natural plants such as herbs and roots they can make remedies with healing properties. It is believed that being healthy is when people reach a state of harmony not only spiritually, mentally but physically. To be able to overcome the forces that cause illness people must “operate in the context of relationship to four constructs —namely, spirituality (Creator, Mother Earth, Great Father); community (family, clan, tribe/nation); environment (daily life, nature, balance); and self (inner passions and peace, thoughts, and values)” (Portman & Garret, 2006, p.453). In this research paper I am going to show evidence of the tremendous influence that Native American medicine and spiritual healing have over modern medicine in the course of healing

Biomedical physicians and traditional Native American healers are collaborating together to decipher how Native American treatments should proceed in the modern world and how to effectively introduce non-Natives to Native American healing practices. Hospitals and educational institutions including Harvard University, developed their own institution of alternative medicine. Doctor Lewis E. Mehl- Madrona’s 7 to 28 day intensive treatment program inspired by Native American healing traditions proved to have lasting effects on health improvement among those with chronic illness even 5 years after the start of the program. Improvements were also shown by patients who only received conventional treatment with the exception of diabetic patients. The most notable improvements of the diabetic patients were reinforced with the results from the spiritually oriented complementary therapy (Mehl-Madrona,

"Native American medicine is based on widely held beliefs about healthy living, the repercussions of disease-producing behavior, and the spiritual principles that restore balance." -Ken "Bear Hawk" Cohen (Chrisman 1).

These people used alternative medicines and don’t feel comfortable confiding in their provider about their use of a variety of medicinal herbs or other alternatives to prescription medication to treat their health problems. The cultural disconnect was present as alternative/complimentary medicines are valued as a culture, and “modern” practitioners cast judgment on their usage. This cultural disconnectover the use of these alternative medicines puts a fear in them that results to their not getting proper medical treatment which further put them at risk when they do seek care (Page-Reeves et al., 2013)

Dr. James Marcum, a cardiologist at the Chattanooga Heart Institute in Tennessee claims, “Pharmaceutical drugs don’t heal people.” In fact, he states, “Much of the time they do more harm than good”(Milner). U.S. Citizens need to stop taking harmful pills and start using more natural, holistic healing methods. Everyone has probably used a pill before to relieve their pain, but there are healthier ways to feel just as good. According to the results of the National Health Interview Survey, “In 2012, 33.2% of U.S. adults used complementary health approaches”(What Complementary and Integrative Approaches Do Americans Use?). While some people believe conventional medicine is a better choice, it is clear that holistic healing can replace prescription drugs because they are more safe and effective than prescription drugs, and they are more practical in many ways.

Libby, Pilver & Desai (2012) also conducted a study looking at PTSD but focused their attention on a global effect of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on the mental health issue. The researchers finalized 599 participants whose information was gathered through the following instruments: (a) National Comorbidity Survey-Replication [NCS-R] (Kessler et al., 2004), (b) National Latino and Asian American Survey [NLAAS] (Algeria et al., 2004), (c) National Survey of American Life [NSAL] (Jackson, Neighbors, Nesse, Trierweiler, & Torres, 2004) (Libby, Pilver, & Desai 2012).

Every culture has its own views of health care, diseases, and medical interventions. The way people of a given culture view health care affects how they handle themselves when they fall ill. For instance, the Asian culture believes that illnesses are caused by supernatural phenomena, which should be diagnosed and treated by means of spiritual healing or traditional herbs. Physicians and other medical practitioners should try to understand the cultural beliefs of their patients to handle them appropriately.

There are many cultures out in the world today that practice beliefs different than those in the United States. America is based off Western Culture and traditional medicine practices which focus on preventative and curative medicine. Most cultures around the world practice folk medicine, which focus more on the person as a whole with remedies and ceremonies rather than medicine and treatment. Even though each one believes in a different practice, all medical professionals should have the knowledge and awareness of each culture’s health beliefs to properly treat their patients in a respectful and kind

Children have been described as our future, our greatest resource, and our hope for a better tomorrow. For many Americans, though, children invoke fear. They represent violence, a segment of society lacking in self-control and devoid of ethics and morals, and the failure of the family to instill traditional values, top among them being the value of human life and respect for others.