Jathan Chicoine

Ames, Iowa
Freshman, Philosophy/International Studies
University of South Dakota

"…I am extremely excited with all I’ve taking away from Dr. Glass-Coffin’s field school. I think anyone truly interested in anthropology and having the opportunity to attend a field school early in their career should take it… it’s given me the idea of what ethnographic research is truly about."

Experiences with "Healing," A Time for Growth

By Jay Chicoine

Introduction:

I returned to Peru, a second visit, with no more than an idea of the type of ethnographic research I wanted to conduct. That idea was to take a look at some of the healing methods of the curandera/os (shamans). The focus of this paper deals with the question, "What are some ailments the curandera/o treats in individuals and how?"

The majority of my research was collected over a week's period of time, as I had the opportunity to live with a curandera in the northern coastal city of Chiclayo. During this time I was able to participate in three mesa ceremonies and witness several other healing rituals. I learned through observation, but also had the opportunity to pose questions about some of the ailments the curandera faces. I was taught the uses, local names, and identification of a portion of the rich collection of medicinal plants used by the curandera. It is interesting to note that the information presented in this paper deals specifically with this question of "What are the ailments the curandera/o treats in individuals and how treats the individuals? But, more importantly, this paper is about my experiences with a single curandera named Patricia.Background:

My background:

My first visit to Peru over a year ago has a direct connection with my interest in traditional healers and their methods of healing. I could easily fill the pages below of my past experiences in this enchanted country. A person needs only to sit at Machu Pichu and watch the sun rise, visit one of the many breath taking ancient sights to experience its rich heritage, or participate in a festival of any of the number of cultures found in this melting pot of past civilizations to appreciate Peru's energy. I will only speak of one of my experiences though, but here lies the difficulty in keeping it brief. Every one of my experiences I believe is connected and have led me back to this country. The single most important one was my visit to a curandero in Puno, near Lake Titicaca.

I had not planned on visiting a curandero during my first trip to Peru. It had just fallen into place and has become part of my past. Writing at this point, more than a year later, I am curiously still able to recall from memory much of that single experience. The man was in his younger twenties and wore a smile of extreme kindness. I remember thinking, "He is so young." He was a small man, but I remember a sense of power or energy that emanated from him. He had dark hair, a soft dark completion, and his eyes where a brilliant brown revealing no depths. It was as if his eyes told the stories of many lives.

I was, for the lack of a better term, given a reading by the man. He used leaves of coca for the diagnosis. The many things he told me, one was that I needed to get my formal education.

I had been struggling with this question of when or if to pursue my education for quite sometime. I had finished my commitment to the U.S. Navy and had reached the difficult decision of not reenlisting for the reasons of wanting my freedom, traveling, and deciding what to do with my life. Much of what he said impacted me, provoking thoughts that added to the clarity of my path. I did not immediately return to the U.S. and enroll in a university, but instead resided in France, off and on, for the following seven months mastering the French language.

I am currently enrolled at the University of South Dakota, once again complimenting a full circle in my life. I have, for more than seven years, been involved with the Lakota people of a small town called Vermillion, SD. I could, once again, make a connection between my past experiences with this community, my chosen path, and what the curandero had told me, but here I will only mention two points. First, that I am now receiving my education, as the curandero had advised me I needed to do. Second, that other things related to words of the curandero have taken place and I have now returned to Peru as part my formal education.

Patricia's Background:

I have chosen not to use the true name of the curandera I worked with, but will refer to her as Patricia. Patricia increasingly reminded me of my own mother. There are qualities that are similar between the two, such as their small frames and 5' 4" heights. Interestingly, it wasn't the physical attributes of Patricia that reminded me of my mother, but more what I would term as a loving nature. I immediately felt comfortable with Patricia and open. During our visits to the many markets of Chiclayo I would often walk hand in hand with her, which is testimony to our easiness between each other.

Patricia's hands were soft. They were little, yet thick. I never felt Patricia with cold hands and remember being surprised that often my hands felt colder to her touch. My metabolism is quick and body temperature always high, so the warmth emanating from her hands bewildered me. It was no different on occasions when she said she was cold. Her hands were always warm.

Patricia warmth was not just concentrated in her hands, but also her kindness. She is 54 years old today and has been working as a healer for over 21 years. During the time of my visit I witnessed the 22-year anniversary of Patricia's first mesa ceremony. She has been living in Chiclayo, but is originally from Hauncabamba, a 14-hour bus ride from Chiclayo. Her mother who is now 84 years old gave birth to 4 children: Patricia, two sisters, and a brother, though the brother is today deceased.

Patricia explained to me that she learned the secrets of the curandera from her grandmother. She said that it skips a generation in the family, that is to say that her grandmother was a curandera and her grandmother's grandmother before. The fascination lies in the fact that Patricia never met her grandmother, at least not physically. Her explanation was that her grandmother's spirit had come to her and now was a part of her. She was 21 years old when this happened.

Patricia is a remarkable woman and in the end I was not surprised to see she has a gift for healing. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to witness her work. My experience with her was greatly increased by the methods I chose to use, out of the many methods found in the "ethnographer's toolkit."

Methods:

The majority of my research was gained from participant observation. I had the opportunity to leave the area of the field school in Haunchaco and live with Patricia and her family for a week's time. I stayed for period of 7 days, from Friday the 20th of June until Friday the 27th.

Using participant observation as my main choice of methods increased my ability to collect data. I was able to gain the closeness and trust needed in conducting research of this sensitivity, especially in the short time restraints I was dealing with. I was able to participate in 3 mesas over that period, as well as accompanying her to market, helping her around the house, and witnessing her cures of several patients who came to visit her during that period.

I also used unstructured interviewing and on occasion group interviews between Patricia, her son, and her ceremonial partner. I was limited in the depth of information I was able to extract due to my inability to effectively communicate in the local dialect of Castellano.

This inability to communicate on any other level than superficial created the greatest difficulty in my research and I was unable to conduct any in-depth, open-ended interviews. Most of interviews, in addition, could be termed as exploratory interviewing, as most of the information was completely new to me and I was treading on new territory. My observations and information gained from the interviews provided the basis for the discussion presented below.

Discussion:

Ailments:

I had the opportunity to learn from Patricia the names of some of the ailments she heals in people. I did on one occasion witness her help a lady with arthritis, and I believe it safe to say that she deals with many illness faced also in the United States. However, in this paper I will only be addressing ailments specific to Peru and my experiences with Patricia. In the paragraphs that follow, I will offer a description of susto, mal de ojo, aire de mal, and what I've termed as bad spirit.

Susto was described to me, as occurring when something dramatic happens to an individual in their life. Usually it is caused from some sort of fright and can cause the person's spirit to leave the body. It can also occur in enchanted areas in which the spirit of a person is captured, though this seemed less likely. I was told that susto can happen within a very short time and cause death within the victim if not treated. The character of a child is not as fully developed to that of an adult, therefore susto happens easier and is more commonly seen in children.1

Mal de ojo contrary to susto is only found in children, mostly babies. Patricia explained that it could cause headaches and stomach pains within the child. I was told that if the child is taken to the doctor and given a shot that the baby could die.2

Aire de mal (bad air) is caused from a brujo (sorcerer). The burning of money by the brujo or a number of other tricks can cause it. Patricia explained to me that often the brujo would put bad air into beer. The idea is that when someone comes into contact with bad air it has greatly negative affects on the person.

There was one other ailment that I witnessed during a mesa ceremony, but unfortunately do not have a clear name for it. The closet idea would be that of a bad spirit. My understanding was that of being possessed. In the case of the child and the mesa ceremony I witnessed, Patricia had said that the child was extremely ill.

Mesa and other Healing Rituals:

The mesa ceremonies in which I participated were held at Patricia's house, though she does perform mesas anywhere needed. During one night she needed to travel an hour away to hold a mesa in a man's house in order to rid the house of bad air.

The mesas I witnessed were conducted in a dirt area at the far end of the house. The area is exposed to the sky, though the north side does have a shelter built of bamboo. Against the back wall and under the shelter is concrete bench built against the while brick wall. The far back left side from the house, the southwest side, has a small wooden room that resembles an outhouse. The room has a toilet, sink, and a shower that offers a small steady flow of cold water. Just to the left of the outhouse, on the south side, is a cage containing more than 25 rabbits, offering a smell of feces and noise to the atmosphere of the mesa ceremony. Continuing to the left of the cage, the southeast side, and against the kitchen of the house is a large sink used for dishes, washing cloths, or other activities such as brushing one's teeth. The sink is the determining line between the dirt of the small courtyard and the foundation of the house. Extending to the south, down the line between the dirt and concrete there is a set of concrete stairs that lead to the roof of the house. I've termed it roof though it serves as a second level to the house and contains a separate set of rooms for Patricia's two children and nephews.

What follows below is summarized from my experiences and observations in two mesas at Patricia's house during late June, 2003.

The term mesa actually refers to an alter or group of items used in the ceremony. Patricia, during her first mesa ceremony, was given a name she should use to describe it. It came to her in what I understood as a revelation. The name was "novata," meaning beginner or apprentice. Twenty-two years later she still refers the mesa as the novata, reminding herself and those around her of her very humble nature.

The First Mesa of the Evening

The first mesa began around 9:00 in the evening, though there had been a good deal of preparation beforehand. The mesa items were brought out from a locked room and arranged on a white cloth on the south side of the dirt area. The items consisted of six religious pictures of Jesus Christ. They were placed, lying up in a row, on the back of the white cloth. The cloth was about 4 foot by 3 1/2 foot. There were a number of other religious items, including 4 or more crucifixes. There were approximately ten bottles consisting of holy water, perfumes, or other liquids that had a fragrance. There were also a number of stones placed on the cloth. There were two small knifes or swards, in which one was inserted into the earth in front of the mesa and was standing up. There was also a cup of tobacco that contained alcohol de cana (sugarcane alcohol), used for offers to the spirits. Essential to the mesa was a large metal pot of San Pedro. (See San Pedro under section Herbs and Plants section of this paper).

Behind the mesa or directly on the south side of the mesa were 4 wooden staffs placed into the wholes of a board, approximately 2 foot wide. They stood facing up and parallel to the front and back of the mesa. Approximately 8 feet further to the south was another set of staffs inserted into a 6-foot long board. The staffs where of different sizes and shapes and used for protection against brujos (sorcerers) during the ceremony. There was also a silver sword about 4-foot and a pair of metal scissors in addition to the staffs. There was a 5-foot long rope and the fur of a skunk lying on the south side of the 6-foot long board. During the ceremony Patricia remained in front of the mesa or on the north side of the altar. The participants remained between the 8-foot space between the mesa and the staffs.

During the mesa ceremonies I witnessed, Patricia was always accompanied by Josefina, her long-term and close friend. Josefina seemed paramount to the success of the ceremony, often taking directions from Patricia. There were a number of responsibilities Josefina carried out and I could understand that they had been working together for a great deal of time. I was told by Patricia that they had been close friends most of their lives and considered each other family. They were together for the first Mesa 22-years ago and everyone thereafter.

The patient of the first mesa was a young male child a year and 3 months old. Patricia had explained to me that the child was extremely sick. She said that the child had taken on a bad spirit.

We began the first mesa with the sick child and her mother positioned on the left side of Patricia, while Josefina and I on the right. The first thing Patricia did when beginning the ceremony is kneel down in front of the mesa and pour a glass of San Pedro from the large metal pot. She then held the glass to her chest facing towards the mesa. She was now just to the front left of me and I was unable to make out exactly what she was saying, though I'm confident she was praying. She inquired about the sick child, asking his name and a few other questions. A minute or two later she had us all kneel down beside her. She poured each of us a glass of San Pedro and we drank from it.

Interestingly, in all the mesas I witnessed there was a deal of humor and laughing that seemed to lighten the mood. When she had handed me the glass of San Pedro she said "un poco por ti" (a little for you). It had about 1/3 of a glass. I later came to find out that there would be three mesas. Patricia drinks two glasses of San Pedro for each mesa and there would be three this evening. She joked with me that after 3 mesas I would be finished or done in by the San Pedro. We all laughed. The second cup given to me had approximately half a cup. Josefina received her second cup of San Pedro. I noticed that each time before she drank she would make the motion of the cross, mimicking the motion of the Catholic religion's non-verbal expression of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. I did not understand her mumbled Spanish, as she always said it under her breath. The empty glass was returned to Patricia and she immediately got up. Taking a drink from a bottle, she then walked around the area and spit the liquid in the 4 cardinal directions.

I was then given a stick about 2ft long. It was made of a dark hard wood. It was about the size of a nickel in diameter. I was told to enter the space between the mesa and the staffs. I was to use the stick; rubbing it all over my body to bring to surface all the "negative energy"3 The stick was to be sort of alter ego. It helped bring out all the negative energy, so that I could rid my body of it. I had been instructed to touch the stick down the length of my arms and throw away the negative energy by making the motions of throwing a baseball. Then I was to work the trunk of my body and work downward. After the trunk of the body, I was to work my lower half. I was instructed to touch the staff all over my body. I was instructed to not only use the stick, but to continually be active by jumping in place, kicking my legs, and swinging my arms. The idea was to completely rid the body of unwanted negative energy, leaving it only with positive energy.

Patricia instructed me to stand to the left of the child and mother, on the east side of the area between the mesa and staffs. I was able to observe the ceremony from my position. I observed Josefina cleansing the baby for more than an hour, all the time I was shaking out the negative energy. Josefina began by making the motions of a cross on the child's body. During this hour the child stood next to his mother and after each cleansing the child would return to his mother's arms. Josefina used more than 5 of the different staffs to cleanse the body of the baby and remove the negative energy. She would take the staffs and touch them child's sides, following them down to the ground. She would then hit the ground with the staffs. Sometimes she would walk over to the right side of the board holding the staffs, the area closest to the outhouse and take a mouth fall of liquid from a bottle. Then she would spit the liquid away from the mesa.

Patricia who remained on the front, south, side of the mesa would often direct Josefina. I noticed Patricia would often pace back and forth shaking her arms, kicking her legs, and seeming to stay vigilant of the environment around her. Several times I heard Patricia say estomago (stomach) and Josefina would focus her attention on the stomach of the child. I also heard Patricia say cabeza (head) more than one time and Josefina would use the staffs and rub them over the child's head.

During the mesa of the child, Josefina would talk to the child while working. The child remained calm for the first bit of the ceremony, but then became a bit frustrated with having to stand still and being fussed over. Josefina was very talented at keeping the child calm. She would count each time she made a motion over the child's body and in a higher voice then normal.

Josefina rotated between staffs, each staff having its own purpose. She did, at one point, use the pair of metal scissors. She went around the baby and made the cutting motion all around the child. The child was seriously ill and as Patricia had explained that it had taken on a bad spirit. To my understanding the scissors were used to cut the child free from the bad spirit.

Josefina had completed the cleansing about an hour after the ceremony had begun and now the child was brought to the position of Patricia. The child and the mother stepped to the south of the mesa and were now in front of the mesa. I remained in the area between the mesa and the staffs. Patricia began rubbing the child all over with her hands. This went on for a shorter time then with Patricia, I would guess maybe 20 minutes. I was amazed at first how calm the baby responded to Patricia's touch. The baby was standing up on the concrete bench to the south of the mesa. The mother sat on the bench next to the baby.

The baby seemed calm to Patricia's touch, but as I was thinking this the baby fussed a little. Patricia finished and told me to come over and sit down on the concrete bench. There had been several rabbit skins placed over the bench used as cushions. Josefina took some liquid from a bottle spit on 4 white towels. The towels were used to wrap the child up while Patricia visited with the mother.

What took place in the following minutes was Patricia explaining something to the mother. I believe she was giving the recommendations and directions for further treatment. Josefina sat down on the right side of me and began to record into a small notebook. I was unable to make out what she was writing.

The mother was then given a cup of water with white flower petals in it. She was instructed to drink from it three times. She was then given sugar and instructed to eat it. In some mesa ceremonies sugar cane will be given.

The lady and child thanked Patricia and left. Patricia spoke with me and explained that I could go to bed, as there would be a total of three mesa. She went on to explain that the child had been very sick and that he would require more treatment. I decided to stay for the second mesa.

Second Mesa of the Evening

The second mesa that I attended was given to treat a man in his 40's named Roberto. Patricia had explained to me that he suffered from bad air. The mesa ceremony began the same way the previous one had begun just finished minutes before.

Patricia, facing the mesa, poured a glass of San Pedro and began to pray. She then inquired about the patient who was now kneeling and to the left of Patricia. I was kneeling, Patricia to my left and Josefina to my right. Patricia had me say Roberto's full name several times and everyone seemed to enjoy my accent. Patricia laughed a soft cheerful laugh and Josefina soon joined in the laughing.4

Patricia drank a cup of the San Pedro and than refilled it. She passed it to Roberto. Roberto said "salud" before drinking and Patricia turned to me said "salud." I responded "salud." Patricia chuckled. Josefina then said "sulud."5

The glass was passed around twice to each person and upon Josefina's second cup we all stood up. I was instructed to take the wooden stick that I had from the previous mesa and stand to the northeast side of the mesa. I was now standing to the left of Patricia and in front of the mesa. My position gave me the view of the entire mesa, including the 6 pictures of Jesus Christ. I had a view of the mesa from the same perspective of Patricia.

I continued to shake out the negative energy for the entire duration of the ceremony. The man was brought out to the space between the mesa and the staffs. He was told to use his wooden stick and to get rid of the negative energy.

Josefina used the staffs to cleanse his body. She went through the same motions, as the mesa before, going down the sides of the man. A couple of occasions she circled the man's body in a spirally direction downward from the head to foot. She then lightly touched the ground with the staffs. She would sometimes take a drink from a bottle and spit the liquid out of her mouth to the southern direction. Josefina had the man then stand with his feet together and arms stretched out perpendicular to his body. Josefina, with two staffs in her hands, would run them across his left arm, over his chest, and across his right arm. She would then run the staffs from his head to feet. While she ran the touch his body with the staffs completing a cross, she sprayed the liquid from her mouth covering him with it. She also used a rope in a motion, previous to the staffs before. She would go from one arm to the other and then head to feet. When she reached his feet she would slap the ground with the rope creating a loud snap.

Patricia, after more than 45 minutes, had the man undress. The man took off his cloths and remained in his underwear and shoes, no socks. He was a plump man and his belly revealed he was 30 pounds or more over weight.

Josefina then took him to the west side of the dirt area, close to the outhouse. He was cleansed a few minutes more with the staffs and then Josefina took some liquid into her mouth. She spit on the Roberto once again covering his body with the liquid. She then gave him a liquid to gargle. The liquid was a type of vinegar.

I was too far away to hear the directions given by Josefina, but instead observed Roberto for the following 15 minutes. He would take a drink from the bottle of vinegar and gargle for what appeared to be as long has he could. He would then spit it up into a concrete bucket. He finished the pint-sized bottle and Josefina refilled it. He continued to gargle the vinegar of the second bottle full, often spitting up violently. I had later come to find out that it was the vinegar that had caused him to throw-up.

The man retuned to the space between the mesa and the staffs. Patricia came out from in front of the mesa, spit on the man's shirt, and then handed it to him. Patricia now stood along side the man. Josefina joined me in front of the mesa, while Patricia remained with the man. Josefina immediately began to pray, pacing back and forth. She prayed, repeating over and over the prayer. She continued this the remainder of the ceremony.

Patricia began rubbing the man's body with her hands. She would some times make the motion with her hands of throwing something away. She, at one point, rubbed the man's stomach and continued for a couple minutes. Patricia continued to touch the man all over for more than 20 minutes.

Roberto was then given his cloths. He dressed and was given water. Patricia instructed him to drink three bottles full. He drank the first bottle and while the second bottle was being filled Patricia spoke to him. He was given the second bottle full and Patricia continued to talk. He looked unsure whether to drink or listen for Patricia to finish talking. I heard Patricia mention work and money. She said that the he would now be better and the water would help him find a good job and plenty of money. Roberto did not wait for Patricia to finish talking, but drank the second bottle full. The bottle was refilled a third time and he drank it.

He was told to now come in front of the mesa to join Patricia, Josefina, and I. The mesa ceremony ended. Roberto was given sugar. Patricia looked at me and told me I was finished and should go to bed. She gave me some sugar as well, but only a little. She laughed, as she new I was not partial to sweets.

Other Healing

The mesa ceremony was not the only type of healing rituals I witnessed. I witnessed diagnoses and treatments using cuys (guinea pigs) and huevos (eggs). I received a bath of herbs and an herbal drink. (See section My Healing of this paper.) The following is my observations during a house visit to a lady who lived in the neighborhood of Patricia.

We hurried off with a woman I had never met before. She was in her 30's. She brought Patricia and I to her house located a few blocks away from Patricia's house. I entered the house with the Patricia and the woman. We walked into another room and I was told to sit on a chair. There was a five-year old boy located on a red couch to my left. Directly in front of me I caught the glimpse of an older woman 70 years or older. She was sitting on a bed in another room that was partitioned off by hanging sheets. There wasn't any light in the room and it was difficult for me to see. The woman that had brought us to the house turned on the black and white television in the room the child and I sat. She then entered the room of the elder woman, closing the hanging sheets behind her, leaving only a slight area between them. I waited for Patricia to finish.

I spoke with the child only briefly, as I had difficulty understanding him. He spoke softly and mumbled. I watched cartoons with him.

When Patricia immerged from the room about 10 minutes later she immediately started to talk to the child who had been watching cartoons. I had observed that he had made some unusual noises. I observed him playing with his toys and rotating his attention between his toys and the television. I noticed that he made some unusual noises. I was not certain if it was a laugh, he was just excited and making noises, or if he was have breathing difficulties. To be honest, I did even realize I had made the observation of the child until after Patricia immerged from the room.

Patricia came out of the room of the elder woman and immediately began talking with the child. She then touched him and asked the mother if he had a heart problem. I wasn't able to fully understand the mother's response. Patricia felt the boy's neck and told the mother his lymph nodes were swollen. She looked at me and I nodded in understanding. We left and returned to the house.

The walk home Patricia had explained to me that the elder woman had been suffering from what I understood as arthritis. Patricia acted out for me in non-verbal communication, clenching her hands and explaining that the woman couldn't manipulate anything with her hands. Patricia explained that she required a bath of certain herbs.

Patricia had not taken any herbs with her to the ladies house. I did, at one point, while Patricia was in the room of the elder lady, hear someone taking water from the kitchen. I had heard some splashing during my wait.

Cuy

I also had the opportunity to witness a diagnosis and treatment of a young woman in her younger 20's, using a cuy. I had been recording field notes in the living room of Patricia's house when her youngest son approached me. He said that his mother wanted me in the other room. I immediately joined her. When I arrived she was already in the process of passing a live cuy over the young woman's body.

I remained outside of the room in the corridor to observe. Patricia and the young woman were just to the inside of the entrance to the room. The young lady had her back turned facing the inside of the small room. Two ladies, a man, and a young girl around the age of 4 accompanied her.

Patricia continued to pass the live cuy over the body of the fully dressed woman for a few minutes. Patricia then took her place at a table to the front right of the room. The young woman took a seat on the couch to her left, sitting between a man and woman. In back of the room resting on a chair was another woman. The young child sat on the floor between the two women.

The atmosphere of the room seemed relaxed, even when Patricia began the dissection of the cuy. Patricia, as I had often witnessed before in other ceremonies, kept her normal manner. She at times during the dissection joked with the young girl who was now playing.

The dissection of the cuy did not require a knife, but on the contrary only the hands of Patricia. The cuy had died sometime during the process of being rubbed over the young woman's body. Patricia took the dead cuy and began by ripping the skin over the chest of the cuy. She used her fingernails and I was surprised out how quickly and effortless she preformed the dissection. It only took about 2 minutes time to complete the diagnosis.

She exposed the insides of the cuy and used her hands to probe around the organs. She looked intently at the cuy and spoke at the same time to the family. Patricia commented on the extreme heat from the cuy and made the connection between the young woman's fever and the body temperature of the cuy. She continued to look at the cuy's insides, at one point, taking a liquid and cleaning an area near the cuy's front right leg. She pointed to something and than had me look at the cuy. I was unable to understand what she had said and did not see anything unusual about the cuy.

Cuy, egg, candle

I witnessed another treatment using a cuy, this time an egg was used in addition. The cuy was never dissected, as Patricia later explained that it was not necessary. She had explained to me that the girl had already been cured.

The young girl was about 6 years old and albino. Her completion was pale, her hair a very light blond and long, and her blue eyes roamed freely never resting long in one place. She was not a happy child and seemed sickly.

Patricia treated the child of susto. She began by making a cross on the child's body. She did this several times. She then took the live cuy and rubbed it over the child's body. Patricia clearly had a tight grip on the cuy and pressed the cuy firmly against the child. The cuy made soft high pitch screams. The cuy struggled against Patricia's grip. She continued rubbing the child with the cuy for approximately 10 minutes. Towards the end of the ten minutes Patricia had focused on the child's stomach, rubbing the cuy over it in circular motions.

Patricia sat the cuy next to her on the couch. I noticed the cuy lay on its side and kicked lightly. It gasped for air.

Patricia then used an unbroken chicken egg and a candle on the child. She rotated between rubbing the egg and candle over the child's body. Patricia would on occasion shake out her hand, as if throwing something away. She continued rubbing the egg and candle over the child, though less time than with the cuy.

Patricia left the room and returned with a glass of water. Inside the glass of water was the broken egg. The yoke of the egg remained unbroken and floated at the bottom third of the clear glass. Patricia pointed to the glass and there was noticeably a large air bubble trap in the white of the egg. The bubble was about 3 millimeters by 3 millimeters. Patricia showed the mother.

She put the cuy in a tea box container and sealed it in a plastic bag. She than asked me to accompany her.

I was told that the young albino girl needed an enema of an herbal liquid. I watched Patricia prepare a 6 cup white bucket containing a rubber hose about 3 1/2 foot long. She washed out the bucket.

The young albino girl was taken to the dirt area in which the mesa ceremonies take place. She was brought behind the concrete staircase that leads to the upper level of the house. She was given an enema and remained near the outhouse for the remaining hour.

The young girl was given a glass of a white liquid that resembled milk. Patricia said that it was good for her stomach. Patricia explained that she had not been able to eat for a total of 8 days.

I had the opportunity, in addition to the albino girl, to witness another treatment using an egg and candle. I had been recording in my observations into my field notes, when Patricia entered into the living room holding a baby. She rushed for the ringing telephone leaving a 1 1/2 year-old baby in my arms. The mother followed, entering the room shortly after.

Patricia finished the telephone call and then took the baby out of my hands, sitting in the chair to my left. The mother took a place on a short couch across the room. Patricia instructed me to grab my camera and take some pictures. I left, returning shortly thereafter to my place on the couch, with my camera.

I sat down on the couch after taking a few photos. Patricia shouted to the maid Lydia, for an egg. Patricia then began to make crosses over the baby's body, mostly covering the chest of the infant. The continued make crosses, talking to the mother all the while. When she received the egg and a white candle from Lydia she began to rub the egg over the child's body, holding the white candle in her left hand. She rotated between the egg and candle for approximately 5 minutes, turning the infant on its back and then front again, a total of 4 times. The baby never cried, though it did make a few noises, as if being burped.

I followed Patricia into the kitchen to look for a glass. The first clear glass in the cupboard had some milk in it. Patricia inquired from Lydia what it was, then emptied it out and washed it. She filled it with water and then broke the egg into the cup, throwing the shell in the garbage.

Immediately she noticed the yoke contained a spot of blood. She pointed it to me and then brought it into the living room where the mother and baby waited. She showed the mother the egg and the mother took the glass into her own hands. I'm unsure, due to my inability to fully understand Spanish, of what was said, but I nevertheless observed the mother's curiosity in the egg.

My healing

I did not have the opportunity to participate in a mesa ceremony specifically for me, though I do plan to revisit Patricia in the near future. I have been told I do need a mesa specifically for myself. Despite this fact, I was given two treatments including an herbal bath and an herbal drink.

The herbal bath that was prepared for me was made up of 5 different herbs. The herbs were ajos giro, hierba del gallinazo, llatama, anashquero chico (quechwa), and ruda macho.

I was instructed by Patricia to bath myself in the herbal liquid. She took me to the shower and handed me the large plastic bowl of the liquid. She told me to stand in a plastic tub, in order to collect the liquid. The liquid would later be thrown away. She told me to pour the liquid completely over my body, excluding my head and face. I was to rub the liquid all over my body.

She informed me that I could not take a shower before 24 hours was up. She said not to wash off or let the liquid dry, but to put my cloths on after bathing in the liquid. I asked Patricia to repeat the direction, so that I was confident that I understood perfectly.

The liquid had a brownish color to it and contained plenty of herbs. It felt oily when pouring it over my body. I don't exactly recall the smell, but only that it was more pleasant than not. Patricia had explained that the liquid would help rid my body of negative energy, so that I would be healthier and stronger.

The herbal drink was given to me later on in the even, after dinner. The herbs used in the tea where the following: ambarindas (blanco y roja), hierba de le postema, pimpinela, cadillo, zarzaparrilla, and hierbo de toro. (See section Herbs and Plants for uses of individual herbs.)

I was told to drink a glass and this would help purify my body of any negative energy and help me with emotional problems. The taste was pleasant, a flowery taste overpowered by the many different tastes of each herb. Patricia's youngest boy explained that I could have more than one glass, in which I had two more over the period of the evening.

Chiclayo and the Markets

Chiclayo has been described as the "sorcery capital" of Northern Peru. (Glass-Coffin, 1998). The moment I had the chance to visit one of the many markets or walk down one of the bustling streets, I knew Chiclayo was the place I needed to be for my research. The atmosphere was unusual, that of wanting to feel comfortable, but having to constantly check over my shoulder. Turkey vultures blanketed the sky. I found them covering the large church at the Plaza de Armas to the dirt roads further out of the center of town, feasting on the rotting carcasses of dogs and cats.

The scene is quite different once outside of the center of the city, that of taxis, buses, and the mototaxi (three wheeled motorcycles). Transportation is still available, but less crowded. The roads are dirt and dogs roam freely, many unhealthy from living their lives in the streets. There is little rain to keep down the stirred dirt floor. The houses are simple, built of brick or adobe. Some streets offer a mystical feeling, as trees grow in front of the houses, contrasting the bare and harsh environment around them.

The city of Chiclayo can be described beyond the physical world. It is not limited to any one sense. The sounds of dogs barking and roosters crowing fill the air of both day and night. I was often stirred at night from the sounds of fighting dogs, the stirring evil at night. The day visits to any one of the markets of Chiclayo revealed a rich assortment of herbs and many pleasant new smells.

Chiclayo has two main markets. Mercado Moshoqueque and Mercado Central are to most well-known and offer the richest variety of fruits, herbs, vegetables, fish, shellfish, notebooks, cloths, CD's and DVD's, or any other needed item. The Chiclayo markets are not just limited to these two. Patricia's youngest son informed me there are over 20 markets throughout the city.

Fresh herbs, vegetables, or fruits can be purchased on Tuesdays and Fridays, as large shipments of trucks arrive on these mornings. They are brought in from outside towns, including Patricia's hometown of Hauncabamba, 14 hours away. Early in the morning the shipments are unloaded, the following day the trucks return.

My week stay in Chiclayo gave me the opportunity to smell, touch, on occasion taste, and to learn a great deal about the herbs used in the northern coastal area of Chiclayo. I was often overwhelmed trying to learn the names of the herbs used by Patricia, many of them having more than two, up to five, different names. I visited the markets every day of my stay, sometimes more than once. Herbs and plants

I was introduced to over 60 herbs used by Patricia. Approximately half of those are used in teas, the other half used in making herbal baths. I plan to further my research with the herbs and medicinal plants of Peru. I have in this section provided two important medicinal plants used in Sara's mesa ceremonies. The two plants are San Pedro and Contrachizo.

San Pedro or Hauchuma is cactus used by Patricia in her mesa ceremonies. San Pedro is a medicinal cactus taken by the participants of the ceremony to reach clarity or a connection with the mesa. The San Pedro is prepared by boiling cut sections of the cactus for a total of three hours in a pot of water. It is prepared beforehand, the day of the ceremony and is never used the following day. During the ceremony the liquid made from the San Pedro is ingested. Patricia determined the amount each individual ingested.6

Contrachizo is a root I was introduced to in the markets. It is used in the mesa ceremonies of Patricia. It is used when a patient may be experiencing dano or the negative effects caused by a brujo. During the mesa the person drinks the tea made from the root, prepared by boiling for approximately 1/2 hour before hand. The person within the hour after ingesting it will vomit and experience diarrhea. This can continue for 3 hours after. Patricia informed me it is best for the person to rest the following day, as they may experience a slight stomachache.

Conclusions:

In conclusion there is a great amount of information I would like to write, unfortunately I am out of time and need to turn in my paper. The many lessons learned and the things I would have done differently far exceed the amount of information I received and used in this research paper. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend an ethnographic field school early in my formal education. It has not only introduced me to the many methods anthropologists have available and comprised in the "ethnographer's toolkit," but it has stimulated and provoked the many ethical and moral questions an anthropologist faces in their career.

I am, at this point, not completely certain of my feelings towards anthropology, or more specifically ethnographic research. I have many mixed feelings. I am constantly reminded of my professor Dr. Dona Davis, at the University of South Dakota. She told me that I would come out of this field school either knowing I loved anthropology or knowing I did not.

I believe it to be profoundly more complex than this. I cannot say that I love anthropology or conducting ethnographic research, but at the same time I desire to continue my growth down this road. I have a love for attempting to understand other cultures. The interesting note is that I feel this uncertainty towards anthropology will be my strength. I took away from this field school the understanding that research gained in the field is determined by possibly an infinitive amount of both inside and outside elements. A person needs not only to understand their own perspective, but the perspectives around them, including the situation they're in. The anthropologist needs to constantly question and be conscious of the many ethical and moral problems their research may create. It is to this very reason that my hesitancy towards loving anthropology becomes my strength. It speaks to the fact that I am on the correct path by questioning everything negative in conducting and recording ethnographic research.

The research that has been presented in this paper could not have been possible without the guidance of Dr. Bonnie Glass-Coffin. Her extreme flexibility and willingness to meet my needs made it a wonderful environment to learn and finally having the time to reflect, I am dumbfounded with the amount of information I will take away from her field school.

Furthermore, the research in this paper served as the "tool" for my learning the fundamental basics of ethnographic research. I was frustrated at many points during the field school and both Dr. Glass-Coffin and I agreed to treat this paper as an opportunity for growth and for me to go through the motions, learning the appropriate skills for future research. This single fact, to me, was the one thing that enabled me to sit down and write this research paper. I am a great deal more pleased with my performance, now having the opportunity to see the results of my research. I do nevertheless plan to continue my research after the field school and offer an additional paper, of course after a short deserved pause.

The final conclusion to this paper is simple. For any future students, there are a great deal of lessons learned that I could preach to you, but I will refrain. The most important advice I would give is to put your head down and charge hard; it will pay off in the end.

" The only easy day was yesterday."

1 I later went on to find that there are three types of susto: la campo (forest), la mar (ocean), and la pista (road).

2 I did speak to more than one person pertaining to mal de ojo. It seemed most discussed during my research. I was told it could be caused by the intense look from a person, though usually a grumpy man. I was told it was countered by a having the child wear a red shirt. I was also told about wearing a necklace of a seed called ishpingo to help heal the person.

3 The terminology here comes from my professor Dr. Bonnie Glass-Coffin who has written extensively on the curandera/os practices.

4 I've noticed that there is often quite a bit of joking that takes place. I get the sense that the mesa ceremony is a little more informal than other ceremonies I have witnessed. For example, at one point two boys had came home and Olinda hollered at them to quickly pass by and go up stairs to their room.

5 I was uncertain at this point if Patricia was just having fun. I had often witnessed her making jokes and laughing.

6 San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a cactus that grows 3-6 meters. (Herbs of Southern Ecuador) It is also referred to as Huachuma, achuma, or giganton. (Glass-Coffin) Diameters of individual plants vary, often being approximately 10 cm in width. The color is light is light greenish, sometimes with a bluish tint. There are a number of varieties that can be used by the curandero, some containing small prickly spines, other having none.