TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, SHAMANISM AND FOLK ILLNESS IN LATIN AMERICA M264: Latin American Studies/Community Health Sciences/Anthropology Tuesday, 9:00am-11:50am, CHS 71-257 Spring 2011 Dr. Bonnie Taub Office Hours: Tuesdays, 12-1pm and by appointment Office Location: 36-078A, CHS- School of Public Health Tel. (310) 206-2117 Email: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS This course examines the role of traditional medicine and shamanism in Latin America. We will explore how indigenous and mestizo groups throughout the region diagnose and treat folk illness and Western defined diseases with a variety of methods. Culturally defined illnesses such as soul loss, aire, nervios and evil eye will be explored. Several case examples of shamanistic traditions and healing practices of midwives, bonesetters, healers of witchcraft, soul loss and other medicine men/women will be explored through lecture, readings, film. We will examine the use of art, music and ritual as well as psychotropic plants as part of the very heart of many Latin American cultural traditions. Course Learning Objectives 1) To obtain an understanding of health status, beliefs and practices with an emphasis on cultural, psychological, political, social, historical and economic influences at the individual, family and community levels in a regional global context 2) In depth exploration of health promotion strategies and activities, including traditional, clinical, grass roots, social, educational at the community level 3) Opportunity to critically research and assess cross-cultural health issues

CHS 264: Learning Objectives linked to ASPH competencies Learning Objectives Competencies (Source in Parentheses) 1. To provide students with Diversity and Culture #1 (ASPH MPH) understanding of historical,cultural, Social & Behavioral Sciences # 2 ,#6, #10 (ASPH MPH) social and educational influences on health at the individual, family, community and international levels in a regional global context.

2. To learn about health practices and Social & Behavioral Sciences # 7 (ASPH MPH) participatory community involvement Communication and Informatics # 10(ASPH MPH) with regards to local healing techniques, clinical services, grass roots, and traditional means of health communication in the Americas region.

3. To learn to critically assess the Social & Behavioral Sciences # 8 (ASPH MPH) literature on the role of culture in health Communication and Informatics # 7(ASPH MPH) promotion in an international context.

1 M264: ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION 1. Class participation and weekly attendance (10%) 2. Readings Discussion Leader- students to prepare discussion questions and a 1 to 2 page summary about books and lead a discussion with others, during one of the following sessions: Week 4: Peyote Hunt Week 5: Way of the Shaman Week 7: Tobacco & Shamanism

3. Animal Guide Paper- write a two page paper describing, from an animal’s point of view, how as a shaman you might transform into that animal, move and sound like it, and the meaning associated with it. Choose an animal that you feel a kinship with. Be prepared to discuss paper and attach a photo or drawing of your animal and turn in to class. Due Week 5 (10%)

4.Summary Discussion (5 pages long, double spaced) of an Interview you Conduct with a traditional or alternative health practitioner in Los Angeles, of Latin American or other origin (ie: curandero, bonesetter, herbalist, masseuse, priestess, shaman, oriental medicine doctor, etc.) Attach notes/ & topic guide. Due Week 7 in class (20%)

5.Final Paper on a topic of your choice related to traditional medicine, folk illness and shamanism in Latin America. Paper to be 12-14 pages long, double-spaced. Paper due finals week, no later than Tuesday, June 6 by noon to Taub mailbox and A level, CHS (50%). Your interview and paper topic may coincide. A one paragraph description of your paper topic with list of two references is due Week 5.

6. Oral Presentation to the class about your final paper topic, lasting 10 minutes, including a one page handout summary. Student presentations to be given during class, weeks 9 and 10 (10%).

READINGS Weekly reading assignments will be required (see later). The course reader will be available for purchase from Westwood Copies on Gayley Avenue in Westwood village. Books will be available for purchase at the Health Sciences Bookstore. Books: Eliade, Mircea. Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, Princeton U Press, 1964/2000

Meyerhoff, B. Peyote Hunt, Cornell University Press, 1976

Furst, Peter. Hallucinogens and Culture, 1976(1998) Wilbert, Johannes. Tobacco & Shamanism in South America, Harvard Press, 1993 Harner, Michael. The Way of the Shaman, Harper Collins Publishers, 2006Schultes, R. Plants of the Gods, Healing Art Press, 2001

2 SCHEDULE – Spring 2011 LAS/Anthro/CHS M264: Traditional medicine, Shamanism and Folk Illness in Latin America Dr. Bonnie Taub SESSION DATE TOPIC 2011 Tuesdays 1 March 29 Introduction to the study of Traditional Medicine, Folk Illness and Shamanism in the Americas

2 April 5 Traditional Medicine & Indigenous Healers, Folk Illness

3 April 12 Shamanic Traditions Eduardo the Healer Huichol Sacred Pilgrimage to Wirikuta View at Powell Media Lab

4 April 19 Hallucinogenic Plants & Shamanism in Mexico: Mushrooms/ Mazatec & Peyote/Huichol; Peyote Hunt Discussion

5 April 26 Trance and Altered States of Consciousness; Shamanism and Nahuales Way of the Shaman Discussion Animal Guides Paper Due

6 May 3 Afro-Brazilian and Caribbean Spiritism Healing States; Interview Paper Due

7 May 10 Shamanism in South America; Warao & Yanomamo; RainForest, Magical Death, Tobacco and Shamanism Discussion

8 May 17 Healing Artifacts-Class will meet at UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History

9 May 24 Andes,Film: The Spirit Possession of Alejandro Mamami Course Summary; Student Presentations

10 May 31 Student presentations

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CHS/LAS M264/ Spring 2011/ Dr. Bonnie Taub

REQUIRED READINGS Week 1 Introduction Eliade,Mircea, Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy Chapters 1,2

Week 2 Traditional Healers/Folk Illness

Bohigian, George, The history of the evil eye and its influence on opthamology, medicine and social customs, Documenta Opthalmologica 94 91-100, 1997, Netherlands.

Baer, R. et al. Mexican Use of Lead in the Treatment of Empacho: Community, Clinic, and Longitudinal Patterns, Soc. Sci. Med. Vol. 47/9, pp 1263-66, 1998

Granich, Reuben, et al. Patterns of health seeking behavior during episodes of childhood diarrhea: a study of Tzotzil-speaking Mayans in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, Soc. Sci. Med. 48, pp 489-495, 1999

Cosminsky, Sheila (1982) “Knowledge and Body Concepts of Guatemalan Midwives.” Chapter 12 (pp 233-252) Anthropology of Human Birth, M. Artschwager Kay, Ed., F.A. Davis Company/ Philadelphia.

Lang, Jennifer & Elkin, Elizabeth, “A Study of the Beliefs and Birthing Practices of Traditional Midwives in Rural Guatemala”, Journal of Nurse-Midwifery, Vol. 42, 1, Jan./Feb. 1997.

Week 3 Shamanic traditions BOOK – Meyerhoff, B. Peyote Hunt (first half)

Week 4-Hallucinogenic Plants/Discussion Meyerhoff, B. Peyote Hunt- finish

Furst, Peter, Chapter 11: “To Find our Life”: Peyote Hunt of the Huichols of Mexico; Chapter 7: The Sacred Mushrooms: Rediscovery in Mexico, in Hallucinations and Culture, Chandler and Sharp Publishers, 1999 (1976).

Fabrega, H. and Nutini, H. Witchcraft Explained Childhood Tragedies in Tlaxcala and their Medical Sequelae, Soc. Sci. Med. Vol. 36/6, pp. 793-805, 1993.

Recommended: Schultes, Plants of the Gods, (Peyote/Mushrooms sections).

Week 5 Trance and Altered States Eliade, Mircea, Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, Chapters 3, 4, 9 Harner, Michael Way of the Shaman, Harper Collins Publishers, 2006

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CHS/Anthro/LAS M264/ Spring 2011/ Dr. Bonnie Taub

Week 6 Spiritism/Candomble Furst, P. Hallucinogens and Culture, Chandler and Sharp Publishers, Tenth Printing, 2000 Introduction, pp. 1-18; Chapter 10: The Diabolic Root.

Chapter from Voeks, Robert, Candomble Medicine in Sacred Leaves of Candomble:African Magic, Medicine, and Religion in Brazil, U of Texas Press, 1997

.Brown, Diana, Chapters 5 and 6 in Umbanda: Religion and Politics in Urban Brazil, Colombia University Press, New York, 1994.

Jorge, Angela (1995), Mesa blanca: A Puerto Rican Healing Tradition, from Spirit Versus Scalpel, Chapter 8 (pp. 109-120), L. Loeb Adler & B. Runi Mukherji, Eds., Bergin & Garvey, Wesport, CT. and London.

Spires-Robin, Regina & McGarrahan, Peggy (1995). The Healing Practices of Mexican Spiritualism, from Spirit Versus Scalpel, Chapter 9 (pp. 1121-135, L. Loeb Adler & B. Runi Mukherji, Eds., Bergin & Garvey, Wesport, CT. and London.

Week 7 South America-Shamanism

Wilbert, Johannes. Tobacco & Shamanism in South America, Harvard Press, 1993

“Cosmos”, The Matsigenka, Chapter by Allen Johnson, from book Families of the Forest 2003.

Reichel-Dolmatoff, G. “Brain and Mind in Desana Shamanism”, Journal of Latin American Lore 7:1 (1998), 73-98, USA.

Furst chapter Plants of the Gods: on ayahuasca, datura, etc.

Week 8- Healing Artifacts/Fowler Museum Pollack, Donald, “Health Care Among the Culina, Western Amazonia, Cultural Survival Qly (12) 1. Pollack Donald, “Healing Dilemmas”, Anthropological Quarterly, pp. 149-157, 1995.

Califano, Maria & Fernandez Distel, Alicia, “The Use of a Hallucinogenic Plant among the Mashco (South western Amazonia, Peru)”, Zeitschrift fur ethnologie 107 (1) 129-143.

Week 9 and 10 Student Presentations

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