Enriqueta, la curandera from Oaxaca

Enriqueta, the Oaxacan curandera

 

On Saturday, a day after arriving in Oaxaca, we went to see Enriqueta, Estela’s mentor.  She was dressed in a bright red huipil, the traditional dress for Oaxacan women. She was plump and somewhat older, about 75.  She looked like she was in good health; she was energetic, and the group really felt welcomed and comfortable. The group included our individuals as well as a group of about 5 or 6 Spanish women.  We all introduced ourselves and the Spanish women, whom I thought were gringas from the USA, introduced themselves in perfect Castilian.  The really looked European, white, but were so gracious and respectful in the presence of the curandera-maestra.  Enriqueta began to tell us about her self ands her beliefs especially about the family, personal care, love for others, and the importance of healing the community.  Enriqueta also spoke about her struggles to become a curandera having had to negotiate with an abusive partner and having to decide to separate from him in order to continue learning her chosen vocation. She is a partera which is a midwife and at times she had to stay away from home all night in order to deliver the babies.  Of course this probably raised havoc in her family-marital life.  At this point in her career as a curandera, she takes fewer clients. She does spend a lot of time making remedies from plants and diagnosing and recommending various salves, balms, and tinctures as remedies for a variety of conditions.  The tinctures are basically remedies derived from various plants and are placed in small containers or droppers.  She prescribes a certain amount of drops and numbers of times per day in order for there to be an effect. 

 

Estela met her 20 years ago or more and took workshops from her. The curanderas in Mexico have been meeting regularly over the last two decades and conduct meetings and congresses in order to share the people’s medicine.  More than 58 % of the people in Mexico have no health insurance.  Only about 2% of the population has complete coverage and recently the state has begun to provide a social program for health care but it is inadequate and limited with only 48% having access to it. Enriqueta talked about the prenatal programs in which women are basically enticed, blackmailed, to use the services. They are given a stipend to use the services, but if they do not follow through or if they are found out that they have gone to a partera or curandera, they have to pay the stipend back. 

 

Estela began to attend her workshops and later she apprenticed with her for several years and accompanied her when Enriqueta was asked to talleres, workshops, or presentations. After a while they went their separate ways but recently began to collaborate again especially in regards to difficult cases and the training of neophyte beginners in the mysteries and magic of healing.

 

More to come on Doña Enriqueta on later postings.

 

Dr. G

071908