U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
The online exhibition Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness explores the interconnectedness of wellness, illness, and cultural life for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. In the exhibition, available at the U.S National Library of Medicine website, visitors will discover how Native concepts of health and illness are closely tied to the concepts of community, spirit, and the land.
In this exhibition you will hear the voices of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians as they tell their stories and express their ideas about health and illness. Their beliefs and practices vary—Native peoples are far from a single, homogeneous group—but they also share certain values and historical experiences.
You will hear Native Voices speak of the responsibilities of individuals and the interconnectedness of communities, of reverence for Nature, tradition, and the Great Spirit. You will also hear about the challenges and opportunities of balancing traditional healing practices with Western medicine. Visit the exhibition “Native Voices“.
Purple coneflower. It’s root is applied to wounds, swellings, and sores.
For articles related to native knowledge, please see the following:
Farias, Rosilene Gomes. “Pai Manoel, African healer, and medicine in Imperial Pernambuco.” Hist. cienc. saude-Manguinhos, Dez 2012, vol.19, suppl.1, p.215-231. ISSN 0104-5970
Henrique, Márcio Couto, “Folklore and popular medicine in the Amazon.“ Hist. cienc. saude-Manguinhos [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.4, pp. 981-998. ISSN 0104-5970. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-59702009000400008.
Sá, Mario. “The magic universe of cures: the role of magic practices and witchcraft in the universe of 17th century Mato Grosso.” Hist. cienc. saude-Manguinhos [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.2, pp. 325-344. ISSN 0104-5970.
