Sdtamo: Maribustion Among IM Slcolt Sami 32J

CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MOXIBUSTION AMONG THE SKOLT SAMI UNDER CONDmONS OF CULTURAL CHANGE

Leila Seitamo

Department of Social Sciences, University of Lapland and Depalfment of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

In the course of my studies amoog the Skolt Sarni SUBJECTS AND METHODS children and their parents in the ycais 1967 to 1970 (expedition of the International Biological Pro­ '!he data on moxibustion an: based on scmi-i!ilruc· gramme/Human Adaptability in Finland) obsctva­ turcd interviews about Skolt culture carried out ticos were made n:gatding the relatively widespread among nearly all adult Skolt Sami livirlJin Finland in use of an old healing method, moxibustion, the yean 1967.74 (N = 500). In the follow-up study "tou~, burning of the fungus growth from a only key pcJ1iODS in the cultun: wm: rc-intetviewcd bin:hgiiarl d06C toa diseased organ orat points were (N=IO-:al). The inteosM: part of my studies has pain was felt. During this basic p;.ychological study been conducted among the ~ttijatvi Skolis. andlateron in the year.; 1970 to1974, thisprojcctwas enlazgcd to include interviews on sevuaJ aspects of RESULTS the traditional Skolt culture (1-3). 1be oroisional Ttaditlooal practice In observations and reports by Skolt Sarni directed my lllJd tnmsltional attention also to the cultural concept and practice of mnxll>uslion toullm~. Later on, interviews wen: curled out also Each large Stolt family has traditionally had one or in the years 1980to1982 and 1986to1990in order to more pcl50llli wbo wen: able and cager to use mox­ follow up the process of changes in croSkolts nowadays explain - was that because there arc as follows: how did the Skolls aptain the use; vrerc no doctors or medicine, this was one of the administration, healing process, efficacy and failure most effective healing systems. This was a very com­ ofto~whctherornotitwas a part oftheir belief mon practice among the Stolts when living on the system and practia:.s rc§Uding ~ and their Kola Peninsula until the Second World War and still healing; and whether attitudes were changing to­ at ~ttijaivi during the 1970s among the older wan:ls it as a function of culture change. Skolts, but not among all old persons. At the beginning of the 1970s, attitut time, when people lM:d knaMn& War, the Skolts living in the western part of the Kola no better way of healing. The attitudes wue chang­ Peninsula~ evacuated and later resettled by the ing alsoamoog the middle-aged people. "Why to use Fmnim ~mmcnt in the ~ttijirvi and Nellim that kind of unhealthy healing methods now when area of Finland, the others remaining in the Kola we can have aspirin and other medicines", was a very Peninsula in the Soviet Union. These changes di­ common saying at that lime. In spite of this kind of vided the Skolt tribe between two nations, about 700 attitude moxibustion could be used among the old of them in Fmland (500 in Scvettijirvi, 200 in and middle aged people and i twas also felt effective. NcDim) and the majority(about2,000)rcmainingin There 11111:re at least 13 people who used to undezgo the Soviet Union. moicibustion during the 19iUs in Sev\:ttijitvi, 10 of The tladitiooal economy of the Skolt Lapps was whom wm: also capable of administering it. fJSbing, hunting, plhuiag.and raisingn:indeer. Arter The last five to six years hoM: in many respects seen the Serood World War, the c:rooomit basis of the the slow death of the most typical old Stolt tradi. C'OllllDunity changed such that traditional means of tions, including moxibustion. One psychologically IM:libood no Jooger assured a dcccnl bing. Tempo­ strong woman aged about 60 years still used to rary cmployml:nt, frequently at a distaoa from the receive moioDustioll about thn:c ~n ago, and one ~b.asbeoomc~forthcmcn.Duringthe wuman, now80ycan;old,is&till "agcnuinc expert", main study (1967 to 1974), both 111C11 and women but docs not pRCtice it any longer because of her a~m Fmland,charactcr­ •·Tiie onR>L'Q)t)l"lllS ~has ~.JcadiDg to 1bc Skcltl5 could not give any systematic esplana­ major clmip in the Skdtii' lifcsl'ylcs (Z3). tion of the healing proa:ss invuM:d in moidbllStioo. JU

The interviews and obscrwtions, hsubject at the run off far into the woods until she was exhausted. same time. If the guard fails to jump, the treatment The Skolts explained that in that state it was as if must be repeated. This belief and administration some other being had been beside her, a shaman. reflect adequate "mcdical"ideascxistingbehind this Eventually she disappeared last year while in the practice, as shown by Soininen in her analysis of the forest, at the age of over 80. The Skolts were of the effects in moxibustion. opinion that she was not in good condition and had In spite of the unpleasant sensations during the probably taken fright over something. but nobody moxibustion and of the pricking. the Skol ts who had knows what finally happened to her. undergone moxibustion felt very relaxed and com­ fortable after moXJbustion and were of the opinion CONCLUSION that it had been effective. A few comments such as "if the disca.sc wants to 'The results indicate that mQ[ibustion bas been a tra­ oppose it, mOXJbustion won'tworlt", or, "the healer ditional healing method among the Skolt Sarni which must really believe in what he/she is doing, otherwise on the one hand has been widely accepted, adequately the technique will be without effccttt, or, "it is part administered by experts in 11KJX1bustion and felt to be of shamanistic behaviour", point in the direction of elf~ in releasing pain, for emmple. On the other it having been part of the traditional belief syi;tem ti.and not cvciybody has aa:cptcd this healing system regarding discasQ; and their healing. in the traditiooal culture and int in the direction that weremastersofmoxibustiononly.Mostofthegcnu­ in the ancient time it has bad clc6crCXlllllcctiooswith inc cq>erts in 1110X11>ustion - as the Skolts cxp=.d the shamanistic "M>dd W:w and behaviour. Due to it • were very civilized people in their traditional eoo-cultuml dlanga; mF'mland. respected women in the «immunity and lmOWD as "a controUcr of the traditiooal Skolt way of life." An­ REFERENCES other woman was a stol}'lCllcr, and~ epic t SeitamoL P>yclri>gilr t-kh &I:~ c( the sillll 'lariatioo iD the use of moxibustion as a function of intc:nmiooal.,...... , ""cin>m!poloc bed!>. &attic: family culture and pcISOlla1ity factor5. For cumplc, UnM:nirfofW~ Pt-.1985: 316-9. befon: !:be Seeond World War, a wife and husband -1. T. T...... ,_.._ ibultioa, as - tbcir daupkr later on. Their soa, ,.---.. g.-,_-IC* I ·­ ~.would not alto. hllmdf to be b\lmed at wmikitjlL~~ t•J8:1-7.