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Whitney: The Practice of "Limpias" in Oaxaca

Page history last edited by wwashuta@uvm.edu 11 years, 11 months ago

 

 

 

 

 

The Practice of "Limpias" in Oaxaca

Topic: 

     The concept of alternative medicine is something that greatly interests me, especially since I started going to a naturopathic doctor about an hour and a half away from my house in New York. Seeking alternative medicine has greatly benefited me. A shocking eighty percent of the world population relies on traditional medicine as their primary healthcare, which often involves the use of plant extracts and herbal remedies. I have grown a deep curiosity about the practice of traditional medicine in Oaxaca, specifically curanderismo. It is a system of traditional beliefs that are particularly common in Latin American cultures. The word derives from the Spanish word “curar” which translates as “to heal”. Curanderism views illness as a combination of both supernatural and natural elements. "Limpias" are the most popular ceremony performed by traditional healers, which is used to do an overall cleansing of one's body and soul, using different herbs and frequently eggs. I am learning about the practice of "limpias" in Oaxaca because I want to find out how they vary between curanderas in order to better understand what is the most popular form of the "limpia". 

 

Background Information: 

 

           Curanderismo is a type of folk remedy that involves various techniques including prayers, healing rituals, herbal medicine, massage, spiritualism, as well as psychic healings. It is a system of traditional beliefs that are particularly common in Latin American cultures. The word derives from the Spanish word “curar” which translates as “to heal”. Curanderismo views illness as a combination of both supernatural and natural elements (American Cancer Society).

           The origins of curanderismo can be traced back to the folk healing practices of pre-Columbian and early Aztec cultures (Lyod). Eventually the practices were merged with Spanish Judeo-Christian beliefs as well as the practices of other European cultures. For example, there are elements in modern curanderismo that can be traced back to elements of witchcraft practiced in Germany. A unique unification of beliefs and practices produced by both the Old and New World defines the modern day curanderism that is practiced in the United States and Mexico (Hurlong).  

           Although there are some aspects of curanderismo that are practiced at home, like folk remedies to cure minor illnesses, many people seek out specially trained folk healers. The practitioners of curanderismo are referred to as curanderos (male healers) and curanderas (female healers)(http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.uvm.edu/stable/40463843).  I had a chance to speak with a practicing curandera in Santa Ana del Valle, about an hour and a half outside of Oaxaca City. It was very interesting to hear her story, ranging from how she became a curandera to all of the illnesses that she treats. Our entire group gathered in a circle around this little old lady who shared a very memorable story. The atmosphere was what I had only expected to see in a movie, with chickens and roosters roaming around her yard. She lives with her husband and son in a little house situated in the backdrop of a dusty, dirt road.

           Señora Eva started our group talk by explaining what she recognizes as the most vital elements to being healthy. She believes that what you eat is directly related to your health. It is advisable to eat foods that are naturally grown on this earth, as oppose to processed foods. The curandera explained how it is imperative to keep the eating habits of her ancestors alive. She views fruits and vegetables, especially corn, as essential staples of a healthy diet. Señora Eva also mentioned how being stressed is directly related to bad health. She made clear that it is not worth it to get stressed out and anxious about the little, inevitable things in life. It is important to have a balanced mind and be able to look past certain situations or outcomes (Señora Eva).  

           Señora Eva continued her narrative by talking about how and when she began healing the ill. Her first two experiences healing were with her two children, her daughter being first. When her daughter was younger she had suffered extreme pain in her left leg and it was predicted by doctors that she would have to get her leg amputated and would lose her ability to walk forever. Such news understandably made her daughter very upset; and she claimed that she would rather die than live without her left leg. Consequentially, her mother felt inspired to go out in the fields and seek a cure using the plants that she could find, determined to save her daughter’s leg. After returning to the doctor for a consultation before the surgery on her daughter’s leg, the forecast of her daughter’s health had changed. Her leg was back to normal, and there was no need for surgery. The doctor was confused and had no real response, but to ask which plants her mother had used in curing her daughter’s leg. Eva explained how she was not exactly positive, and that God had guided her in deciding which plants to pick from the field. She claims that a majority of healing has to do with the faith that both the healer and patient need to have in the plants and being cured. A similar situation occurred with her son not long afterwards. Doctors had predicted that her son was going to die in a matter of days because he was suffering from such a dangerously high fever. She was not willing to accept the death of her son as a reality, so with the faith that she had in her own healing powers, she returned back to the field. Eva claimed that she was even more confident in the guidance that she was receiving from God the second time around because it had worked out so well in curing her daughter’s illness. She used the plants that she had picked in the field and rubbed them on the bottom of her son’s feet to draw out the fever. Her attempts worked and her son was feeling back to normal within just a matter of hours. The doctors were once again shocked and confused as to how her son was cured in such an instance. Eventually, she started healing kids and neighbors, and slowly gaining respect and recognition as a healer from people in her community. With each person that she healed, she gained more and more knowledge about which plants had which certain functions, expanding her abilities to help those in need.

           The curandera in Santa Ana del Valle took time to review some of the most popular illnesses that she cures her patients of. She often has patients who suffer from illness because their spirits have become disconnected from their bodies. Such an instance occurs, for example, when somebody falls in love with a certain place when traveling. It could be that you left your spirit in the place that you felt most comfortable in. To cure such a sickness, curanderos will practice a ceremony that calls one’s spirit back into their body (Señora Eva). They often use candles, circles of fire, incense, and chants. There are certain times when a curandero will return, with the patient, to the place in which the soul loss or fright occurred. They believe that this will encourage the return of the defiant soul and refurbish the patient’s health (Hurlong) . Although curanderos often travel long distances to cure the ill, they usually prefer to heal in front of their own altars. Their altars are normally decorated with incense, flowers, candles, basil, and images of patron saints, virgins, crucifixes and a container of water used to absorb negative energy (American Cancer Society). The curandera can also cure “friander”, which is described as a coldness that occurs from walking on a cold surface without covering your feet (Señora Eva).

           The curandera also took some time to explain the concept of one’s “narguile”. She described “narguile” as the spirit that is always with us, even in our dreams. It is possible that certain illnesses stem from dreams, such as those that involve our “narguile” in vomit and fear. Through our dreams we can notice that our “narguile” is reason, and that it walks with us. It is possible that falling in your dream or having somebody stare at you in a malicious way can cause an illness (Señora Eva).

           Señora Eva also spoke about the origin of some other common illnesses that her clients have to deal with. Arthritis is thought to be the result of being outside, in the rain for example, without anything to cover you up from the cold air. It is also thought that fright, or being scared, is the possible origin of diabetes. The concept of chaneque is thought to be another cause of illness. It is caused when bad spirits get inside your body. It is possible not to realize that the bad energy that may be trapped inside a certain place that you visit. For example, there may have been a war fought on certain turf that caused evil spirits and energy to remain in that place. After visiting the place with bad energy, the bad energy remains trapped inside of you (Señora Eva).

           The evil eye is described as a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike (Hurlong). It is believed that the evil eye is most easily bestowed on those who are suffering from energy levels that are either regular or lower then normal. It is believed that some people can bestow a curse on victims by the gaze of their magical eye.  However, the most common form points the cause to envy, with the envious person casting the evil eye, often unintentionally. Señora Eva explained that often times the evil eye happens when somebody in the streets is angry or upset and gives you another person a nasty look. If the other person does not have a high enough energy level, then they cannot fight it. The evil eye is then passed onto the weak (Señora Eva).

           It is very interesting to realize the curanderas view of western medicine. She explained to me how the elders in Santa Ana del Valle often hold meetings with the younger people in the community, in order to educate them about traditional healing practices. As one of the village curanderas, Señora Eva does not want the tradition to die, and believes that such healing practices should be taken more seriously. Interestingly, she does work with other doctors who practice western medicine, in order to gain more knowledge about curing certain illnesses and taking advantage of more modern technology. She believes that it is important for traditional healers as well as western doctors to work together to make a sort of middle ground, in order to best help the people in her community who are suffering.

            One of the central aspects of a culture can be defined by its medical system. "80% of the inhabitants of the world rely on traditional medicines for their primary healthcare, and it can safely be presumed that a major part of traditional therapy involves the use of plant extracts or their active principles"(Heinrich). Stomach pains are usually treated using teas. The teas are usually aromatic, bitter, and bitter-aromatic (Heinrich).

Culture bound syndromes such as "sudden fright", "illness cause by bad winds of the night", and "the evil eye" are generally treated using limpias (Marion).A limpia is a ritual cleansing using aromatic herbs and eggs. As the curandera from Santa Ana del Valle explained, eggs are a vital part of most limpias performed in the Oaxaca region (Señora Eva). Whole eggs are used to suck out all of the bad things that are trapped inside the body. The egg is rubbed over the patient’s body, and then later cracked into a glass of water. When the egg is cracked it is thought that all of the bad things remain in the yolk of the egg. It is then possible to read the yolk and determine certain illnesses (Señora Eva).

To understand the criteria used to select and characterize a medical plant: the taste and odor of a plant is very important in distinguishing which illness it can combat. Aromatic (cooling plants) are considered very useful to treat illnesses associated with fevers and are usually applied externally (showers, baths, and massages using the alcoholic preparation of plants). Plants may also have other qualities that prevent its usage or make it dangerous to touch; like burning-itching, burning, and hot-itchy. Ritual is considered central to healing of severe illnesses; plants are prominent in the process of treatment.After a cleansing a tea is frequently recommended. Commonly, the healer does not prepare herbal remedies, but the patient is asked to look for the appropriate plants and is instructed on how to prepare and use them. However, in some cases the healer may put together the appropriate remedy (especially prepared ointments are given away by a few healers). Usually they are " ethanolic extracts" of one or more, up to five, medicinal plants (Heinrich). 

 

 

Works Cited

 

"Curanderismo." American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, Inc, 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/MindBodyandSpirit/curanderismo>.

 

Heinrich, Michael. "Herbal and Symbolic Medicines of the Lowland Mixe (Oaxaca, Mexico)." JSTOR. Anthropos Institute, 1994. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.uvm.edu/stable/40463843>.

 

Hurlong, Dr Sandra. "Curanderismo: Spirituality and Healing in Oaxaca." IOU Foundation. IOU Foundation, 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ioufoundation.org/index.php/press/health-science/187-curanderismo-spirituality-and-healing-in-oaxaca-mexico>.

 

Llyod, Marion. "Learning to Heal Body and Mind from Mexican Shamans." The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://chronicle.com/article/Learning-to-Heal-BodyM/46957/>.

 

Interview with Señora Eva in Santa Anna del Valle ( on January 28, 2012) 

 

 

The three different “limpias” that I experienced:

 

Capulálpam de Méndez; 2/12/12: A “limpia” with a curandera from the “centro de medicina tradicional indigena”

                        I did not get time to sit down and have a one on one talk with the ladies the curanderas that performed the limpias; and my plan of returning did not work out. I did however take some notes after the limpia. I can share my experience of the limpia: First I was sitting down on the bench in the room with my eyes closed, as an egg was rubbed all over my body (specifically my upper body and head). Soon after, I could hear the curandera crack the egg into a cup that was half full of water. I was then asked to stand up and Mezcal was spit on the front and back of my neck, as well as on my stomach. The curandera continued by handing me a plant that I was asked to hold to my chest, as I was sprayed with a mixture of plant materials that were green. Afterwards, I was wafted with a specific green plant all over my body (quite vigorously!). I was then allowed to open my eyes, and the curandera held the cup of water with the egg yolk up to the light that had shone through the window. The curandera had noticed two different things about my egg: there was air in my egg, and the yolk had sunk to the bottom; indicating that I have stomach issues. She explained that there are unwanted things in my intestines. In order to fix my problem she suggested that I ingest a coffee spoon full of olive oil every morning before I eat breakfast, for three days. She suggested that I drink a chamomile tea regularly for a few days in order to treat the air that was found in my egg. Furthermore, she said that when I experience pain in my neck and headaches that I should dip an egg in alcohol and rub it on the parts that cause me pain. When I am done I should break the egg, by tossing it over my shoulder.

 

Teotitlan del Valle; 3/18/12: An interview with Sophia Guittierez and her daughter Pastor Guittierez; a “limpia” performed by Pastora

     On a Sunday afternoon I took a bus to Teotitlan del Valle, located about forty-five minutes outside of Oaxaca city, in order to talk with a practicing curandera and her mother, as well as receive my very own “limpia.” Pastora explained to me how she had learned to become a curandera from her mother, by shadowing and helping her throughout her childhood. She believes that anybody can become a curandera, as long as they want to and have “the gift”. It is usually thought of as a hereditary gift; but there are also people who practice curanderismo outside of their families.

            A “limpia”is practiced on people, or also in their homes, if there is a bad energy surrounding either. “Limpias” performed in homes rely on the use of holy water, copal (an incense like smoke), as well as herbs. “Limpias” are also commonly performed after the death of a family member or friend, because it is believed that after somebody dies their spirit is not at rest. Many of Sophia and Pastora’s clients visit because they suffer from pain in their legs from working so hard. Their clients also suffer from stomach pain, head pain, and often pain in their arms, needing an entire body massage. Clients seek out “limpias” for a variety of resons, but most commonly they are performed when their bodies need rest, or you feel a lack of energy. They are also performed when one is suffering from constant tiredness, or is just looking to relax their body and soul. Sophia explained to me how she feels the pain of her clients while performing “limpias”. She can sense and takes on their physical and mental pain, after giving them massages. She pointed out how in order to be a good curandera, one must be caring, and strong (both physically and mentally). However, it is often after taking on the bad energy of a client, that Sophia and Pastora need to undergo a “limpia” themselves. It is suggested that one receives a “limpia” every two months, but that is depending on the type of person that you are. The more stressed and nervous that someone is, the more often they should receive a “limpia”.

            Pastora and Sophia explained to me how different curanderas in Oaxaca use different herbs, based on what they have available, or what they grow in their certain villages. The herbs that Pastora and Sophia use are often ones that they can encounter in their own gardens, or elsewhere in Teotitlan. If they do not grow the herb then they often ask neighbors for it, or can find it for sale in the local markets. They suggested drinking teas before eating breakfast in the morning and also right before going to bed at night. A few teas that they often suggest are “yerba Buena, flor de cancer, oregano, flor de naranja/ mandorina, flor de limon, tironja y manzanillas.” They explained a few of the herbs that they often use in “limpias” and their purpose. “El romero” is used to get rid of “bad air”; “El vaca” is used for muscle and head pain; “pirru” is used to get rid of bad things (like romero); “irruda” is also used to get rid of bad things as well as head pains; and lastly alcohol is used as they mix the plants together and often used at the beginning of the “limpias”.

            Pastora took me into a room in the back of her house, where her altar for worshiping was as well as two beds in order to perform my “limpia”. It was interesting how she allowed Andrea (my friend who had come along to also get a limpia), to stay in the room on the other bed while my “limpia” was being performed. She started my limpia by lighting copal (which is much like incense), which was intended to calm and sooth my mind. Pastora had me lie on the one and try to relax, taking deep breaths and asking me to feel what my body was telling me. She started to massage my body, rubbing a sort of vapor rub of apple on my temples and body to help relax me. She explained how the head, as well as three points in the arms are the most important points to relax. Pastora rubbed the herb “albaca” all over my entire body, starting with my head. She explained how she always uses the herbs, before she rubs the egg on the body. Pastora soaked the plants in alcohol, because she said that the alcohol helps to open the pores of one’s body and better regulate their emotions. The veins in her clients’ feet are supposed to be an important spot to extract negative things from the body. The plants are used to absorb one’s bad feelings of either anger or sadness. The egg that she proceeded to rub all over my body is thought to do the same, but in a more successful manner. She cracked my egg in a glass of water, and then waited just a minute or two for the yolk to settle before reading what it meant to her. At the end of the “limpia” Sophia had me lay back down in the bed and relax for about ten minutes as the copal was burning and filling up the room with a powerful, yet relaxing scent. She stressed how important it is to relax and not get too exited after a “limpia” since your body and spirit should be a little tired, and to do any sort of crazy or strenuous activity would almost negate the effects of the “limpia”.

            I found the results of my “limpia” to be alarmingly accurate. The first thing that Pastora mentioned was how I am a calm, tranquil and passionate person, who will not encounter any major obstacles in my life. She then continued to tell me how there was a “big eye” in my egg, signifying that there is a boy who has a big crush on me (hahaha). Also, the yolk of the egg came up a little bit, signifying that I do have a lot of friends and also family that I am very close with, but that I seem to stand above them. She went on to explain how despite the friends that I have, I do like separating myself for whichever reason. She said that it seemed as though I am an independent person, who does not like to rely on other people, but instead to things on my own and move at my own pace. She also mentioned how I can often be shy, which is also a reason why I like to separate myself. Pastora said that my career will bring me back to Mexico, as I will be fighting and fighting hard for the people here and their rights. She said that I will need to work and work for my position in the workforce, but that eventually it will reap a lot of success. Overall, I did enjoy the “limpia”, as it was more of a psychic reading then anything in my opinion.

 

 

Santa Ana Del Valle: 4/2/12; Interview and “limpia” with curandera Señora Eva

         I recently paid another visit to Señora Eva, whom our entire group had previously had the chance to talk with and hear some of her story during our overnight trip to Santa Ana during one of our first weeks of the semester. It was nice to return and get some one on one time with Eva and her son, who is also training as a curandero. Eva explained how curanderismo runs in her family, as her ancestors for as long as she can recall have been traditional medicine healers, and so is her son as well as daughter. She went on to tell me how she has a gift from God to heal. She also went on to emphasize what a bad idea and bad omen and how dangerous it is for somebody who does not have the gift from God to try and cure people’s illnesses. Señora Eva was excited to tell me how she receives clients of all ages who want “limpias”; and that it is not just the older generation of people in her town.

            Señora Eva told me in all seriousness how the “limpia” is a sacred practice, and needs to be handled with care, and is only effective when a curandera truly cures from her heart. Eva uses “limpias” as a manner of curing one’s illnesses, whether they are physical, mental, or both. Every “limpia” requires Eva to meet with the client and realize their personal needs, in order to figure out which plants to use in the “limpia.” She explained to me how God guides her in choosing which plants to pick from the fields, and also in how to prepare the certain plant tinctures that she uses. Sra Eva only uses plants and herbs that come from the field, and will rarely turn to the markets in order to buy them. There are also occasions when her clients will bring their own plants that they want to be cured with. Eva’s response was intriguing when I asked her which plants she used most commonly during her “limpias.” She seemed wierded out by my question and explained how she knew barely any biological names of plants, and only used what was available in her town; like many other curanderas that she knows.

            Eva claims that a “limpia” can be performed in any place, depending on the person and what they are suffering from. She often performs “limpias” in front of her own alter; but there are times when it is more effectively carried out in a different place, like by or in a river. During her “limpias”, Eva usually asks her clients where it was that they got frightened, and if they will take her with them back to that place (mentally), so that she can help reunite their body with their soul. This is the most common problem that she believes causes illnesses, the lack of connection and wholeness between the body and the soul. Eva explained how performing “limpias” consumes a lot of the curandera’s energy because she takes on all of her client’s energy and feelings, whether they are good or bad. For such a reason, there are times when Eva, herself, needs a “limpia” to rid herself of all of the negative energy. Luckily there is a conference held about every two months with practicing curanderas that meet from distances villages in Oaxaca and Chiapas. Eva enjoys these meetings because it is a time for her to learn from those practicing curanderas who are more experienced then she is, and they are the ones who give her the “limpia.” She explained how they are have to meet in a big open space, like in a field by the river.

            Eva also believes in recommending certain teas to certain clients, depending on what it is that they suffer from. She also explained how many, but not all, of the times she uses the egg in her “limpia”. The egg is supposed to help her client by sucking out negative energy, which becomes trapped in the yolk. Eva also told me that she uses copal in her “limpias” simply because it has been the tradition of curanderas for ages and ages. She uses copal that her husband goes out in the field and collects, in or to do her “limpias”. There is a special type of copal that is used in “limpias”, the type of copal that is not easily found in the markets. There are also times when Eva rubs “polmala”, like a vapor rub, on her clients in order to relax their bodies prior to the “limpia”.

            As I went into Eva’s room where she has her altar set up, with candles and pictures of saints and Jesus, as well as a bench in front of it, she asked what I wanted to receive from the “limpia”. She sat me in front of the altar and said to ask God, in my own language, what I want from the “limpia.” She explained how I could ask for help with my health, sadness, or even with work or school. She said a prayer to the altar, which included my name in it, as she started to light the copal and all of the candles. Eva had prepared “yerbas to susto”, or herbs to help with fright, that she kept on periodically adding to her dish of copal. She began by rubbing an egg all over my upper body, but quickly stopped after rubbing it over my heart. The egg started to crack, with the little lines about to break open after it was rubbed over my heart. Eva quickly took the egg and put it outside, she explained how it cracked because I am suffering from extreme fright and sadness. She said how it must have been fright at night and that my soul was left behind somewhere and needs to called back into my body. She then grabbed another egg and continued to rub it over the rest of my body. As she was doing this, she asked me to think back on when I was last frightened or what it is that is making me sad recently. During the entire “limpia” Eva was blowing the copal on my body as she made circles around me. She brought out a wooden bowl like structure, which she called a “cantado” and used it to call my spirit back into my body. She walked in circles around me as she chanted and yelled for “whitney’s spirit to return to her body”. She also sprayed a mix of plant extracts on my body. There was another mix of plant matter and alcohol that Eva used in my “limpia”. She said how the alcohol was not too strong, and used to pass good energy. She often uses the alcohol in “limpias” when people are sad, or suffer from negative energy, as it helps to pass the good energy to her client. For the above reason, Eva swooshed alcohol around in her mouth and then spit it on the back of my neck and also in my face. Eva ended my “limpia” by wafting me with a mix of different herbs that she uses in cases of clients suffering from fright. Eva concluded the “limpia” with a prayer to God, asking him to protect me on the rest of my travels in Mexico. 

 

         

My Research Plan:

         My research plan involved meeting with two to three different practicing curanderas in Oaxaca and to interview them about the way that they practice the "limpia". I was planning on spending a night or two with one of the curanderas, in order to truly observe their ways. I was interested in observing curanderas performing "limpias" to other patients, as well as receiving my own "limpias" to truly experience its effects. 

     January: I started doing preliminary research on the internet about curanderismo in Oaxaca

     January 28th: I took notes during our group discussion with curandera Señora Eva during our village stay in Santa Ana del Valle. Had the opportunity to observe Ariel and Peter receive "limpias".

     February 12th: Our group visited " Centro de Medicina Tradicional Indigena" during our village stay in Capulálpam de Méndez. I received my first "limpia" and took notes immediately following it.

     March 18th: I went to Teotitlan and spent a few hours with curandera mother and daughter Sophia and Pastora Guitierez. I conducted a joint interview with the two of them, and had the chance to receive          my own "limpia".  

     April 2nd: I took the day to return to Santa Ana del Valle, in order to re-visit curandera Señora Eva. I conducted an informal interview with her and followed it up with my own "limpia". 

     April 13th: I want to visit Benito Juarez market in hopes of finding some of the common herbs that curanderas use in their "limpias".   

 

 

Reflection and Discovery:

    

     I am so thankful that I took the time to get to know more about traditional medicine here in Oaxaca, specifically curanderismo. After taking a class on multicultural healthcare back at UVM last semester, it was very interesting to go out in the field and see for myself a system of medical care that is so different then the western medical techniques that so many of us are accustomed to in the U.S. The practice of "limpias" here in Oaxaca was very enchanting for me before I started to do my research and experience my very own; and I am happy to say that it is even more enchanting after these past few months of internet research and placticas with local curanderas.

     I learned that every curandera values the "limpia" as an important aspect to staying healthy and wholesome, and how they each curandera practices it only varies slightly. All curanderas see the body as a system of the the spirit, soul, and physical body all working hand in hand to determine one's health. The three "limpias" that I experienced differed in their discoveries. For example, my "limpia" with Pastora in Teotitlan felt much more like a psychic reading then my "limpia" with Señora Eva in Santa Ana del Valle. Each of curandera used similar techniques with plant and alcohol tinctures, whole herbs from their own gardens, the burning of copal, and also the use of a raw egg. The order in which each curandera performed their ceremony seemed to differ, as well as some of the herbs that they used. I realized that a lot of the herbs that they used in their "limpias" was directly determined by what they had available in their gardens, or in their neighbors gardens. Also, I found it interesting how my "limpia" with Señora Eva was seemingly more religious then the one that I experienced in Capulálpam, or in Teotitlan with Pastora. With Eva, I was asked to call upon God to help me receive what I needed from the "limpia". But on another interesting note, each curandera that I visited had an altar that resembled that of the one that I had visited prior, with pictures of saints, candles, as well as pictures of deceased family members that had also practiced curanderismo.

   I did not have too many obstacles in carrying out my research plan, but instead only a few. I found that time was my biggest obstacle, especially being in the arts and sciences track which involved one field trip after another for the past six weeks. My original plan was to spend a night or two living with a curandera in one of the villages here in Oaxaca. I wanted to take a deeper look into their lifestyle and be thoroughly taught about the way that they practice their "limpias", by trying to shadow them conducting one on another client. Unfortunately, I did not find the time to make such a trip. I also found the language barrier to be a little difficult at times when conducting my interviews. My more strenuous interview was that which I had with Señora Eva, because I could tell that she felt a little uncomfortable at times. A lot of the questions that I had asked her about specific herbs that she used and the ritual in general, should would simply reply with the notion that tradition in tradition and that is why she does things the way that she does. Eva was also unwilling to allow me to take any pictures of her or to have Ashely Moore, who accompanied me, to take a video of the "limpia". She was convinced that the camera would absorb negative energy, and also was paranoid that I was exploiting the practice of the "limpia". I had to assure her that this information was just to satisfy my own curiosity and to share with a small group of my peers and teacher.

     After all of this research and getting my own "limpias", which was my favorite part of the project, I only really have one more question: How are "limpias" practiced in the United States?

     

Quality Indicator:

     I would like to give myself a 9 on the quality indicator scale. I thought that it was cool how I went out and got two of my very own "limpias" for a truly hands-on research approach. I feel as though traditional medicine, specifically curanderismo, is something that intrigues a lot of people in our group. 

 

 

Comments (2)

aerindunford said

at 11:57 pm on Jan 29, 2012

Hey Whitney,

Sounds like you already have a pretty good sense of where you want to go with this project. As I think I mentioned when we were doing the spiderweb activity at El Encuentro, I saw a GREAT presentation about this done by INSO a few years ago. They have some incredible photography of the city from 100 years ago and how the supply of water has changed, been coopted and who has easy/free access to water (hotels, the church, businesses, laundrymats, the government) and who doesn't (people living in informal settlements around the valley that have to buy "pipas" of water for more than what they probably make in a month). I don't remember who exactly gave the presentation, but I could probably look it up.

Ashley Hill said

at 12:25 am on Apr 8, 2012

Hey Whitney! I really like how you are using your own limpia experiences as a base for your project. You also seem to have found a lot of literature information. I think that one thing that would benefit your page would be to go through and rearrange some things. Maybe put background infor together, then your findings/ personal experience. That section could include a paragraph (or more) describing the processes of revieving a limpia (imagery) and then describing your interviews with the women who did your limpias (if you had interviews with all of them). It would also be imteresting to learn about the differences you experienced in all of the limpias you had--how does the practice differ among the people you met? so far so good can't wait to read more!!!
Ashley H.

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