In many Mexican-American communities there is a network of an alternative form of medicine that provides services for a wide range of physical ailments. Its roots are in cultural traditions that go back many generations and is called "Curanderismo" - holistic or folk healing - and in some regions, it's still very popular. The word comes from the Spanish verb curar meaning to heal. In conventional western medicine, if you're sick, you go see a doctor. If you have mental problems, you consult a psychiatrist. If you're seeking spirituality, you go to church. Curanderismo treats the patient as a whole and tries to reach a balance or harmony between the physical, mental, and spiritual.
There are basically three types of healers, or Curanderos (Curanderas, if they're female). Hueseros and Sobaderos are bone/muscle therapists. Yerberos are primarily herbalists, and Parteras are midwives.
My first experience with a sobadero was in my teen years. During a friendly game of touch football, I fell and injured my wrist. When I bent my wrist, a lump would develop at the joint. Obviously I had bruised the ligaments, but after a few weeks the lump remained and I became concerned. Before I could make an appointment to see my regular doctor, a friend of the family recommended I see a sobadero he highly recommended. I agreed, and we went to see him.
We arrived at the gentleman's house, and he greeted us at the door. After showing him the lump on my wrist, he directed me to the garage. There we both sat on two chairs facing each other. He took my arm and began to feel with both of his thumbs the area around my bruised wrist. It hurt, and he noticed my pain. Looking up at the ceiling, he nodded his head and said in Spanish, "Ah, yes, it's open." He then instructed me to relax. "You're too tense," he said. As soon as I relaxed, he pressed hard with both thumbs and simultaneously pulled my arm. After a sharp pain, I bent my wrist and the lump was gone. I'll admit I was skeptical when I walked in, but after seeing the lump disappear, I conceded that he was a man with a don - a "gift" to heal.
My parents have always used herbal and natural remedies for minor aliments. Even though I grew up with these sometimes crazy sounding cures, I used them when I was younger. However, after leaving home I gradually began depending more on modern approaches. For example, on a recent family camping trip, I spayed my kids down with bug repellant, but my father frowned at me and handed me a clove of garlic, saying, "Eat this. It will keep the bugs off you." Needless to say, later on when my kids started scratching from insect bites due to spots the spray missed, I looked over to my father and he gave me one of those "I told you so" looks. He had faith in his garlic; I trusted the aerosol.
Homeopathic remedies, while they might be helpful to improve symptoms or cure an illness, sometimes may have a negative effect. Since many herbs are not regulated, some may contain dangerous levels of toxins that can lead to severe sickness and even death. A long time family friend, Rosie Laine, a Labor and Delivery nurse at Saint Louise Hospital in Gilroy, is very familiar with Curanderismo and the cultural traditions of the Hispanic community. When she asks expecting mother if they're taking any medication, she makes sure to include any home herbal remedies. The answers to these questions help the nursing staff look for abnormal symptoms during labor that might necessitate different interventions.
As a young girl, Rosie herself was treated by a Curandera for mal aire (bad air) after she stepped on a rattle snake barefooted and became traumatized. She experienced mild tremors, so her mother sought spiritual help. This type of treatment encompasses a more ceremonial or religious ritual, and is used to treat aliments like shock, fear, indigestion, and the mal de ojo, or evil eye.
By dealing both with the spiritual and physical process of healing, Curanderismo can help individuals reduce pain, improve symptoms, and relieve stress, which is one of the major components to other diseases. It is deeply rooted in the older traditions within Hispanic culture. While I have had positive results with home remedies, I also know it is important, in general, for patients to receive modern medical attention as well. Like the disclaimer in one of my mother's thick homeopathic books, "Before using any herbal remedy, seek the advice of a professional."
Mario Bañuelos
Mario Bañuelos Mario Bañuelos has lived in Morgan Hill for 19 years. He has served on the South Valley Dayworker Committee and is a member of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. He is married and has four children. Reach him at mbanuelos@charter.net.
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