Mapuche medicine within the public health system. Its relationship with conventional medicines

Abstract

Mapuche Medicine in Chile, can be considered to be an independent system of health knowledge and practice,according to the definition of the NCCAM. It has been studied by anthropologists and from the socio cultural perspective. Not so from the scientific perspective of biology and the medical sciences. This paper discusses the reasons for this omission and propounds that they are related to the historical circumstances of the encounter of mapuche medicine with conventional medicine at the developmental stage of the latter during the conquest and colonial periodst of Chilean history. As a consequence the shamanic aspect of aboriginal medicine has been “satanized”. Demographic data of users of the mapuche makewelawe pharmacy appear: 80% can be considered self-assigned to the selfsame ethnic group . Mapuche medicine is also used by low income strata, For that reason, its study, preservation and adaptation to the users can be considered a high-priority duty of the State. Mapuche medicine has international importance and represents a national cultural asset. An experience of integration is shown in which the perspective of the mapuche healer can be brought together with that of the paractitioner of alternative and complementary medicine. We propose the organization of a meeting bringing together representatives of these various schools of medical practice, in order , among other things, to promote such an understanding of mapuche medicine as to crystallize in the proposal of JM Solar(1): Our Machi can teach to us”.