Mapuche Research Paper

Before the Chilean War of Independence, Chile was colonized by Spain. The Spaniards colonized Chile in hopes of discovering another Peru, another country plentiful with precious metals. Finding none, the Spaniards began to focus on developing Chile agriculturally. Due to the poverty of the country, there were few slaves and the settlers had to often work the fields themselves. Not many settlers stayed due to the fact that they couldn’t profit from gold, but their influence was still strong. The citizens of Chile had to be under the rule of the Spanish crown, and a strong class structure developed in Chile

A specific person (or people) in each tribe are acknowledge as healers. They are usually taught from generation to generation. “Healing does not follow written guidelines. Healers work differently with each person they help. They use their herbs, ceremony and power in the best way for each individual.” (NLM) Ceremonies are a crucial part of the Native healing process, “because physical and spiritual health are intimately connected, body and spirit must heal together. Traditional healing ceremonies promote wellness by reflecting Native conceptions of Spirit, Creator, and the Universe. They can include prayer, chants, drumming, songs, stories, and the use of a variety of sacred objects.” (National Institute of Health) These ceremonies are considered very sacred. Non-Natives are allowed to come by invite only. As one can tell they are very cherished, spiritual, pious ceremonies and not just anyone can be a part of them.

Women also take part in spiritual aspect where they serve as healers of cultic functionaries. The explanation of Olademo(2012) suggested that healers are individuals who help to restore health to sick people and help them to overcome the undesirable condition. When someone in the community suffers from sickness, it is considered that the person is out of tune with nature (Olademo, 2012, p. 53) which is also a sign that the person is losing the power he attains. This is the reason why healing is crucial in Yoruba religion because it represents the completeness of person, family and the community. Women are predominantly tide with every sector of daily life. Most commonly, women are known as caring, meticulous, and humane. The job of healing is compatible with the characterizations described above of women. The duties of women healers are to remember all of the herb names and its usage, as they are great importance in treating and healing sick people. Furthermore, women healers offer consultation services for sick individuals, which some may require both religious and physical healing. The position of woman healer is a great resemblance of being a mother. They are so similar in the fact that they both demand caring and patient. Unfortunately, there are constraints and prohibitions because the women’s physiological structure that prevent them from touching the spiritual elements and refraining them to

Appalachian folk medicine is a system of healing made up of beliefs and practices that are transferred by oral tradition through families and communities. It was developed in response to a lack of access to modern medical care and combines homemade remedies with superstition and religious beliefs. A general definition of folk medicine is a collection of cures that are handed down by oral tradition and other similar means of heritage and are considered outside of mainstream medicine. Appalachian folk medicine sprung up from the need for health care. In pre-industrial Appalachia, doctors and modern medicine were rare and inaccessible as well as expensive, so people relied on traditional home remedies and superstitious practices to alleviate pain and to cure disease. Practices such as using turpentine and brown sugar to cure worms and the use of magnetism to stimulate the body to heal itself are common for many minor illnesses. The most common aspect of Appalachian folk medicine, however, is the widespread use of herbal and homemade medicines that are believed to have healing powers. It relies on local roots, flowers, fruits, bark, leaves, and seeds that could be gathered and then combined or treated to make them suitable for healing.

Many traditional Native medicines and healing practices were discouraged with the advent of Western medicine, but now there is a movement to return to traditional ways (Zubek, 1994, p. 1924). Modern Western medicine treats the symptoms to cure a diseased state when the body is out of homeostasis. Native American healing traditions do this as well with herbs and plants suited to the purpose. These Native healing traditions also include sacred rituals, chants, and purification rites to help bring the spirit and mind of the afflicted back into balance. In effect, treating the whole person, not only the disease. A blending of these two healing practices could bring about better prognoses for today's patients. The purpose of this paper is

erosion of the Aboriginal culture.(chp.2). Restrictions placed on the cultural practices of the Aboriginal people ultimately led to the abatement of the Aboriginal traditional medicines.(p88). Losing their freedom to practice traditional therapeutics, the Aboriginal people eventually had to adapt to the culturally inappropriate ways of western medicines. The purpose of this paper is to examine the advantages of Aboriginal healing methods for the Aboriginal people, as well as to explain why these traditional methods continued to persist long after western style medicines were introduced.

At first Europeans were skeptical of the medicine that the Native Americans used. Medicine men and women used new medical techniques that the Europeans never have seen before, they prayed to spirits and had ceremonies to heal some patients. Native American healers highly believed in spiritual healing that Europeans were not accustom to and did not believe in. However Europeans went crazy over the way Native Americans could use plants and herbs in healing. Native Americans doctors would go into the forest often not far from their homes and find plants, berries, barks, and roots that would be used in healing, although they have been known to go on trips for several days to collect materials too. Many herbs that Native Americans used in early colonial America are still used today like ginseng and bayberry. With the Native Americans knowledge of herbs and natural remedies many colonists were beginning to think that Native American medicine men and women were better doctors than their own educated European doctors. Natives Americans came along way from being savages.

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

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.

Importance of Spanish Borderlands: didn’t try to remove natives, tried to convert natives/recruit them to work/ make trading partners, still didn’t see them as equals though

The Mapuche have always been their own independent nation, but today they live under the Chilean and Argentinian government. Though not completely independent they still hold a strong independent culture from Chile and Argentina. They have their own: common descent, history, self sufficient economy, cultural identity and their own language. Their language called Mapu-dugun, meaning the language of the land. This language has been passed down orally through many generations. This language is dying out because the two countries there land is in both have their native language as Spanish. Today there are organizations that are working on creating the Mapuche alphabet in order to try to preserve their language.

The research has found that the current situation faced by the Mapuche has deep-running historical roots. By means of systematic

The Mapuche, also known as the Araucano, were said to be the first people in the region south of Chile's Biobio River. Archaeological excavations show evidence of their culture dating back to 12,000 years. They were indigenous people that were inhabited originally in the southern portion of Chile in and around Region IX. They had well developed societies, impressive art, and the people were accomplished warriors. The leader what they call toqui was the Maximum Chief in war, and his power was symbolized by an engraved stone hatchet. The Spanish never successfully conquered the Mapuche. They were the only Hispano American nation hat was never vanquished. The Spanish captain won many battles before dying in

Before Spanish arrival, the Quichua developed an interesting way of recording events by tying knots in cord andc onsidered pre-literate. Many Quichua migrated east to the Amazon Basin;Because of the different landscape, climate, indigenous plants and animals.Rainforest Quichua remained more isolated from the historical forces that shaped the northern parts of South America. Rivers, not roads, are the primary means of transport. . Conquered by the Inca Empire, But, until the Spanish conquest, the quechua population fell dramatically the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca Emperor, Atahualpa, November 16 1532 because they brought many diseases that eventually wiped out millions of native

Traditional healing started a long time ago when our forefather used to get information through the dreams when there is something that was going to happen in the family. This practice passes on from generation to generation. It is impossible to become a traditional healer and in the family tree, there was never such. One cannot become a Sangoma unless he or she has a calling from the ancestors and there must be one Sangoma in their lineage. The Sangomas emphasise on the importance a close friendship with the ancestors by doing regular sacrifice to them, honouring and pledging allegiance to them. The Sangomas did not see themselves opposed to Western medicine but a different perspective on health.