While reading Traditional Perspectives on Child and Family Health by Donald Warne, I learned some very interesting information about Native American perspectives on modern medical practices and their “traditional” medicine.
In Traditional Perspectives on Child and Family Health, Donald Warne informs us that he has several people in his family that practice as traditional healers and that he began learning traditional philosophy from them at a young age. I found it interesting that when he grew old enough to be considering further education, that he wanted to attend medical school. I had always held the stereotype that Native Healers didn’t believe in modern medical practices and the nonreligious science side of medicine. I had always thought that they would just preform rituals and drink herbs and then think that they would be healed. I am seeing now after reading Traditional Perspectives on Child and Family Health, that Natives do believe in their “traditional” medicine but are also wanting to listen and learn about what we consider the practice of modern medicine. I feel that the Natives have taken the high road, if you will, and are willing to listen to the medicine that non-Natives practice in order to understand their thoughts and beliefs. That really gives me another layer of respect for Native Americans.
afthomas June 20, 2018
I was also surprised at some of the information in this video. For one thing, When Mr. Warne explained that his family and his uncles especially were all okay with his going on to further his education to become a modern medical practitioner, I thought they would have been completely opposed to the idea of him doing that. I thought this because they have their own way of treating people with traditional medicine and spiritual remedies etc. Our modern medicine is very different. We focus mostly on treating the physical pain and abnormalities that we can see and feel. We do not focus nearly enough on the mental health of a patient or even their spirituality.