Curanderismo Part 2: Traditional Healing of the Spirit/Energy

The instructor will present a welcome video describing the course syllabus followed by a Power Point presentation on the topic of "Curanderismo," traditional/folk medicine.

Each thematic module will consist of an average of two 20-minute videos, by well-known traditional healers from Mexico, and the United States.  Some of the hands-on demonstrations will be followed by additional readings and discussions on effectiveness of traditional and holistic medicine, which has been revived and recently gained popularity throughout the world.  There will be a translator in the videos for the healers from Mexico who speak Spanish.

Instructor:  Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, from the University of New Mexico

Description:  This course will provide information on the history, traditions, rituals, herbs, and remedies of Curanderismo, a folk healing tradition of the Southwestern United States, Latin America and Mexico.  

Optional texts: 

1.       Curandero: A Life in Mexican Folk Healing, Eliseo Torres & Tim Sawyer

2.       Healing with Herbs & Rituals: A Mexican Tradition, Eliseo Torres, edited by Tim Sawyer

3.       Infusions of Healing, Joie Davidow

For further references on Curanderismo, students are encouraged to read the following books:

1.       Border Medicine - A Transcultural History of Mexican American Curanderismo, Brett Hendrickson

Week 1

Welcome Video (2) (Cheo)

PowerPoint Introduction/Overview of Curanderismo (2) (Cheo)

Connecting Modern Medicine to Traditional Healing – TEDx ABQ (Cheo)

Curanderismo Exhibition at the UNM School of Anthropology (Cheo)

Week 2

Plants and Sacred Tobaco of Peru (Mino) & Medicinal Plants for women (Bernadette)

Week 3

Spiritual Cleansings Limpias Energeticas (Laurencio)

Spiritual Healing (Velia)

Week 4

Laugh Therapy Risa Terapia (Rita)

A Fidencista Traditional Healer: ‘Chenchito’

Week 5

Healing through Sound (Juan Carlos & Viridiana)

Healing Fright and Shock Susto (Rita)

Week 6

Afro-Latino healing through music and dance (Sina)

Interviews

• Bernadette
• Mino
• Eduardo Cardona