How ironic!
Our indigenous ancestors and other so called “uncivilized cultures” stumbled upon (not discovered) by Columbus in what was termed “The New World” had a lot to teach the people of Europe. First and foremost, they had a deep understanding of the body-mind-spirit connection to the healing process…something we now call “holistic healing”. All that chanting and dancing used by Behike healers (Called Witch Doctors, and Shamans by the Spaniards) was also intended to ease the anxiety of the patients. The chanting is now being replaced by “soft music” in modern medicine. However, we now know that ancient natives had an extensive array of medicinal and psychotropic plants that, in combination with the chanting and dancing, were used to both cure and alleviate diseases…this approach is now called “integrated medicine”. Having emigrated originally from the Northern Amazon region, our native ancestors knew about “Curare” a selective skeletal muscle relaxant, that has been used clinically to reduce shivering and as an anesthetic auxiliary in abdominal surgery. It is also widely used in animal experiments to block neuromuscular junction activity. In high doses it is a poison that can cause paralysis and even death. Our natives used it to poison their arrows as well. However, an arrow cannot deliver a lethal dose and was only used to slow down the reflexes of an enemy. Needless to say, the invading Spaniards didn’t know this and panicked when struck by a poison arrow…we now refer to this as “psychological warfare”…wait, there’s more…Caribbean natives used psychotropic and anesthetic drugs (so did the Inca, Aztecs and Maya) to ease the transition of the soul to the afterlife…in other words, an end-of-life strategy we now call “palliative medicine”. These substances were meant to ease pain, as well as calm and comfort a dying patient. Modern doctors are now using MDMA assisted therapy for that same purpose (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception (awareness of surrounding objects and conditions). It is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens, producing feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception
Featured watercolor of the Curandera (Behike) called Anah-ní treated by a native healer after being wounded by a poison arrow from one of the nomad natives who frequently attacked from the Southern Caribbean. Watercolor painting copyright, © 2023 By Jose Martinez. Read the full story, learn about other indigenous healing practices, available at Barnes and Noble online www.bn.com and Amazon. Mystic Healer Stories Curandera.