My mother was a curandera and had a cure for many illnesses — neurosis, paralysis and skin disease, to name a few. Curanderas are medical folk practitioners in the Mexican culture. They have curing powers passed on, over the centuries, to special people.
Cultures define what is an illness and what is a cure that is consistent with their cultural beliefs. For example, she treated one child in a Mexican family that had refused physical therapy because they didn’t understand how it would help. Instead, they came to my mother who treated him by massaging his hand with holy oil and prayers, which the parents understood, and results much the same as physical therapy. The Mexican culture also has cures for illnesses not known to Anglo medicine — empacho, susto and mal ojo — and she treated these as well. In short, she was a classic curandera — a medical folk practitioner in the Mexican community.
The curandera's success is based on the fundamental belief system that is an integral part of Mexican culture — God, the family and the curandera. Modern medicine is now recognizing what is a given in Mexican folk medicine: treat the whole person — mind, soul and body.
The curandera's healing powers come from the Catholic religion's belief in the power of God, and all cures and procedures are prefaced with the curandera's and patient's belief in prayer. Holy water is used, as are candles, oils and a variety of herbs with the curandera praying throughout the healing process. Religion provides hope and an acceptance of the outcome — "sea por Dios" (be it for God). Having put themselves in the hands of God, and the curandera, there is a sense of comfort and acceptance for whatever happens. My mother never charged a fee.
A patient who came to see my mother usually brought family members along since illness, for Mexicans, is a family matter. The curandera involves the family that, in the Mexican culture, is more important than getting ahead. Family members placed much faith in my mother. She always greeted them in a warm manner, offering them coffee and sweet bread. It was not uncommon for her to cook a meal if she knew they had traveled any great distance. After everyone was comfortable, she would let all the family members know that it was not she who would heal the patient but rather the patient's faith, as well as the faith of all the family members — "es la voluntad de Dios" (it is the will of God).
Since illness is a family affair, hospital staff is always surprised, and sometimes upset, when a Mexican patient has the whole family in the room, and they all insist on staying. My mother took the time to create the social and psychological condition modern medicine is now finding important. Confidence and trust are key. The patient-curandera relationship was critical, just as is the doctor-patient relationship.
Freud talked about the importance of treating the soma with the psyche. My mother did it intuitively. In today’s fast-paced society, what is often forgotten are the cultural, social, psychological and spiritual aspects of medicine that are basic to the curandera. In our haste to treat patients, we forget illness is not only a physical phenomenon but a spiritual one as well. Faith and hope are equally important. That’s what the curandera understood.
Utah native John Florez served on the U.S. Senate Labor Committee and as Utah industrial commissioner. His White House appointments included deputy assistant secretary of labor and Commission on Hispanic Education member. Email: jdflorez@comcast.net