The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920
cgonzal@unm.edu

July 25, 2008

UNM Curanderismo Program Celebrates 7 th Summer

Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, UNM vice president of Student Affairs, began teaching the course Traditional Medicine Without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest & Mexico this week. The course runs through Friday, Aug. 1 in Anthropology room 163. Now in its seventh year, the course provides traditional healers of all backgrounds, western medicine practitioners and members of the public to come together to share knowledge about the art and science of healing.

“One class featured Dr. Yvette Arellano, a doctor of oriental medicine, who demonstrated energetic healing methods. We also had Dr. Anselmo Torres present on healing through ceremony. Holistic, traditional and integrative medicine were the focus of a demonstration today featuring a panel of local healers including Sandrea Gonzales, the director of the UNM Women’s Resource Center,” Torres said.

Registered Nurse Elena Avila, an Albuquerque area curandera, will conduct a class on psychic healing on Friday, July 25. “Traumatic experiences can result in damage to the soul or the soul leaving the body. Elena works on soul retrieval and healing,” Torres said.

Torres said that a group of 17 Mexican curanderos arrives on Saturday. In addition to being class participants and sharing their skills and knowledge, they will visit Laguna Pueblo, attend a health fair in Alcalde, N.M., near Española, observe a presentation by the Southwest Acupuncture College, and get training by professionals at a local massage institute.

On Monday, July 28 at 8:15 a.m. in front of the UNM Anthropology Building, the class will conduct an opening ceremony. “We will give thanks to the four directions and the sun and the earth. We will have traditional native petitions and cleansing with incense,” Torres said. Every day will feature an outdoor activity, he said.

On Wednesday, July 30 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the UNM Student Union Building Acoma rooms A&B, Dr. Thomas Cruise and other internationally known speakers from the Southwest Acupuncture College will talk about laugh therapy and other healing rituals, Torres said. The event is open to the public and people are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

On Thursday, July 31, Emiglio Ballón, a Bolivian master herbalist, will give a presentation on growing medicinal plants.

In the six years since Torres started the class, the course’s popularity has spread by word of mouth. This year Torres has nearly 70 students signed up, with others coming in to listen to a particular presentation.

“We look at all aspects of curanderismo including native, African American, Moorish, scientific, bio-medical, psychological and ayurvedic medicine are all woven into the fabric of the course and healing,” Torres said.

For more information, visit www.unm.edu/~ovpsa/curanderismo.html

###