Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing

3. The Cultural Context of Illness

THE CULTURAL CONTEXT OF ILLNESS A MANIN SOUTH TEXAS and a man in Saudi Arabia will both have the same general biological needs when they contract tuberculosis. But their physical needs must be met in ways that take into account the existing differences in their social systems (differences in customs, beliefs, family structure , religion, and economic class) and their expectations of health care and health personnel. The best way practitioners can successfully treat the whole person is to understand the social framework that surrounds his biological illness. Differences in the social framework of illness come about through the ways different cultural groups are taught to label reality, mark time, and use space. Labels break down reality into manageable categories. Objects, ideas, emotions, and relationships are grouped together or separated from one another for special emphasis in each culture. The world view, the communication, and perception of reality in any two cultures is different since no two languages categorize reality in exactly the same way. Perception is further intensified or directed by differences in the use of time and space in different cultural systems. The interpretation of disease and illness, which includes both health-belief systems and rehabilitation procedures, is bound to culture. Culture teaches the individual to interpret 41 Three 42 Curanderismo pain in terms that are meaningful to him as an individual and as a member of a group. A member of one culture may believe his stomach is upset because he ate too fast, so he takes an Alka-Seltzer, while someone in another culture may believe his stomach is hot, so he takes a refreshing herb. In one culture being ill may mean dispensation from responsibility, while in another culture it may be an open admission of weakness. The Mexican American cultural framework acknowledges the existence of two sources of illness, one natural and one supernatural. The natural source is recognized and treated by modern medicine and curanderos-, the supernatural source is recognized and treated by curanderos alone. Given this double perspective, any particular illness can come from either source. The sick person may have identical symptoms regardless of which source instigated the disease. Natural diseases are cured by herbs, drugs, surgery , or other scientific medical techniques. The failure of these techniques is one indication that the illness is caused by a trabajo (spell) and requires treatment by a curandero to remove the causal agent of the disease. Successful treatment of the illness by the curandew is taken as further proof that supernatural causation of illness actually exists and promotes the persistence of this dual framework. Curanderos, however, do not use magic alone. They also treat physical illnesses by the use of herbs, poultices, massages, and other traditional procedures. The family as the main socialization unit for many health beliefs, teaches its members how to tell whether an illness exists. It is through the family that a child learns to interpret his reality. Part of this reality is learning certain health habits and health practices (for example, brushing teeth, keeping the body clean, eating proper foods, playing in safe areas, and learning how to cross the street). One child may learn that it is important to clean and nurse a cut, while another may learn that it is shameful to cry when he is hurt. Cultural Context of Illness 43 Different cultures encourage different responses to illness. This socialization process remains as a permanent part of a person's knowledge and will ultimately guide his health behavior. Mexican American families are not unlike other families in socializing children in health concepts and health practices. They encourage concepts and beliefs held by the community. An informant tells how she learned about cuiandews as a child: When I was a child I used to hear my family talking. Someone placed something on my father and he got very ill. He almost died. Other things happened to other members of our family, but they died because they did not get cured. They were given something to eat and their bellies got big and hard. The rest of their bodies sort of withered down. Another informant who is very knowledgeablein the useof herbs tells how she acquired her skill: Well, it is that one learns these things because of grandparents , aunts, and from experience. . . . Both my grandmothers healed with herbs. Since I was small, I was very interested in knowing this. I paid much attention. My father likes to...