Indigenous contributions

Is it time for the assessment of knowledge of the peoples on this earth before the arrival of the Spanish?

The policy begins to unfold is a consequence of the results of the Census called Peoples. The community rejected the horizontal part and surrounded by doctors, as is done in public hospitals in the province. Something is happening when the Ministry of Health of the province of Buenos Aires plans to incorporate indigenous medicine to formal health system. "This is not to teach the logic of the functioning of our health system but to permeate the system so it can contain an offer that can satisfy the philosophy of the original peoples?, Said Carlos Mate, Minister of Health of Buenos Aires. Converge, respect, reconciliation, learn, are verbs that use Matte to talk about the new relationship that will seek to establish the expertise of our people. The main idea of ​​this concept is to adapt the system to the public health and not force people to go at the bottom of the system. Especially since no or get.

"Because of its culture, its vision of the concepts of health and disease, native peoples have no access to or unwilling to access formal health system offer?, Said Dr. Gustavo Marin, Director of Primary Care. "And the system has not recognized this knowledge, prejudice, or ignorance or to maintain its hegemony? He said.

But it also seeks to indigenous medicine reach the rest of the population. "The proposal is that knowledge that will be validated to be available to anyone who needs it. There are experiences in Chile in Temuco, a health center open for those who want. Finally, it is not surprising: if the foundation of a tablet is on a grass, why not use that grass will otherwise?, He asked the official Marin.

Indigenous Statistics .- The policy begins to unfold is a consequence of the results of the Census called Native Peoples, a somewhat spasmodic work, since its completion took 12 years, from 1994 to 2006. For obvious reasons, we analyzed the latest data, obtained from 2000 onwards. In this last period were surveyed stated that 20,708 people from 31 ethnic groups. The majority: Quechua (4482 census), Mapuche (4350), Guarani (3564) and Koller (1,803).

Among the general results concluded that 90% enter the health care system only when you have a disease and that 91% see a doctor in a public institution. This is viewed as a difficulty in access to and a rejection of official attention. That census also arrived in health data by ethnicity.

For example, counted in all 14 games Mapuche concluded that the most common diseases are influenza, pharyngitis and bronchospasm, and between chronic diseases prevailing osteoarthritis. However, a look Mapuche discusses these findings. "For us, the social environment is not alien, but is responsible for the health of people. The disease is a moral transgression, spiritual and social.

The main health problem of our people is the negation of identity?, Said the BA in Political Science, Veronica Azpiroz Clen, Bafkeh Epu clustering of Los Toldos. It is in this town where people are calling for the formation of a Mapuche health center.

Delivery Mapuche .- The August 9 in La Plata was a meeting, a workshop involving some 200 indigenous delegates from different towns and held at the Cultural Center Falkland Islands. We worked in three areas, one delivery care. At this point, the Mapuche communities rejected the horizontal part and surrounded by doctors, as is done in public hospitals in the province of Buenos Aires.

And they say that overall, the experience "very violent?, Since professionals are unaware of their customs. Azpiroz Clen explained that "most of the experiences in public hospitals are very violent, because doctors, nurses and midwives are very expulsive do not understand that concept come from another culture?. He added: "They say the woman was not prenatal care because I did not want and not, comes from another tradition?.

Currently, hospitals in Buenos Aires, deliveries are on beds and horizontal. To Azpiroz Clen, this method "is against the law of gravity and there is an optimal space, plus a edilicia preparation to contain cultural diversity. The Mapuche said that the presence of doctors and nurses "is also very violent? for the mother, because "in its most intimate act, the woman is invaded? by these professionals.

"At home, squatting, vertical, with blankets?, Would be the best way to welcome a newborn, Azpiroz Clen explained. "They showed the technique of dip, which is the way that suits the baby that is not in the birth canal, which explains why they have so few c-sections?, Noted for his part Gustavo Marin.

Puñeñelchefe .- In the Mapuche community "there is a figure called puñeñelchefe that accompanies the process of pregnancy and particularly the time of delivery? Said Azpiroz Clen. He added: "At birth the woman faces east and is squatting and often taken from a tree, or assisted by another woman, for strength and help you down to the bus (baby)?. Also said that "labor is prior to the baby tries to fit vertically so you can go through the birth canal, massage and herbs are used?.

Before birth, as detailed, it is a pelontun-diagnosis or visualization of how the mother is and how it could trigger labor. This makes it a gun or a gun, they have a supernatural knowledge or pre-logical, according to the Mapuche, which can not be explained logically.

In the Mapuche tradition, the machi-or a diagnosis-delivery "through saliva, urine, breath, and that is a mirror of how the child?. And as he said, "after birth is a ritual with the placenta and umbilical cord are buried as a way to give back to the natural forces of life. It's a family ceremony of thanks?. Azpiroz Clen stated that "if there are complications, people should refer the mother to a hospital because there is no experience of how to treat it?.

Another point discussed was that of mental health. "No closure conceived as a therapeutic form of healing. That we have much to learn from them?, Said Minister Mate. Also talked about herbs: "In Argentina it has not been considered important, but in Brazil are studying thousands of medicinal herbs, some with significant clinical effectiveness, Marin said.

Indigenous peoples say, 'if I used it for 500 years, why do I need to be told that good?', And here comes a solidarity concept of medicine: Western medicine requires scientific validation?. Basically, then, is a double proposal: improve accessibility -? We have 90 000 people from?, Said Mate-official health and indigenous medicine let it spill over "huincas?. Minister Mate said: "It will be difficult, because the laws are designed from the West.

I do not know what medical school would argue if you intend to put in an institution to a person who is not doing medical therapy, but you have to do the debate?. For now, and want the end of 2007 have a pilot with forms of care and therapies.

Mapuche claim a medical center in Los Toldos .- The Mapuche flags advertised a meeting at the school 6, called by the group Epu Bafkeh (two eyes water). It's Sunday and the kids are entertained in the playground. Many people, at tables, waiting for the colt, butchered on Saturday, which is roasted slowly. The Mapuche are placed in a circle and in the Assembly passed the microphone from hand to hand.

They ask for restitution of land, a Mapuche health center and its form of care is not considered illegal practice of medicine. In that place rose the tents of the tribe of Chief Ignacio voroga Coliqueo, the "Indian friend?, Who first fought for and won Urquiza then the legal transfer of 16,400 hectares, by the laws of 1866 and 1868. Then there was a long process, contrary to the communitarian conception of the earth. In just over 100 years collective ownership became individual.

Many sold them, badly, to go to town. In a bit of this land now stands a house belonging to the Bishopric of July 9, in an area of ​​2875 meters square. It is uninhabited, say at the meeting, since 1998. And now they want to sell.

The Mapuche nailed on the door red flags and a banner proclaiming: "Mapuche territory?. In that house they want to raise the health center where they can meet the macho, working the herbalists, and produce derivatives of medicinal herbs as tinctures or creams.

Gabriel Giubellino Communication and Research Centre Indian Chaskinayrampi