Title : Medical therapy log (1992-2020) of Rosita Ascencio, A Mexican indigenous traditional healer
Abstract:
In Mexico, it is uncommon for traditional healers to register their sessions. However, under the advice of a government representative of the Indigenous National Institute, Rosa Ascencio-Garcia, an indigenous traditional healer, consistently logged every patient she treated over 28 years. This resulted in two notebooks containing the name, age, place of origin, diagnosis, and treatment of all the patients visiting her. Rosa Ascencio [a.k.a. Doña Rosita, (1925-2022)] was a traditional healer born in the city of Patzcuaro, state of Michoacan, Mexico. She belongs to the Purepecha indigenous group, stablished in the west of Mexico. Although she learned western nursing basics, she was mainly instructed by her family, ultimately providing health services to her neighbours. She belonged to an organization of Purepecha traditional indigenous healers which allowed her to visit Canada, U.S, and Costa Rica to share their traditional knowledge. She registered 2296 therapy sessions in her notebooks that included several illnesses not recognized by academic medicine: most of the patients where locals and visitors from neighbouring towns, both male and female. Most child patients where under 4 years old suffering from “caida de mollera” (fallen fontanelle), “empacho” (a kind of indigestion) and “mal de ojo” (evil eye). Meanwhile, adults were mostly treated for “nervios” (i.e., stress and anxiety), gastritis, and digestive and respiratory system infections. In this oral presentation, we would like to show the day-to-day activities of a Mexican traditional healer, who exceptionally, logged in her notebooks the general characteristics of her patients, infant therapeutic attention, and frequent traditional illnesses. This work aims to highlight the importance, persistence, and demand of indigenous traditional medicine in the Mexican society, especially in the treatment of illnesses not recognized by academic medicine. To do so, we will show you the context and statistics obtained from Rosita Ascensio’s logs.
