Medicine Women, Curanderas, & Women Doctors B. Perrone, H. H. Stockel, & V. Krueger

Curanderas A curandera is a traditional folk healer or shaman in Hispanic America, who is dedicated to curing physical or spiritual illnesses. /www/clgimages/wc- CuranderaPA030.jpg

 Curandera is literally translated as "healer" from Spanish.  They are often respected members of the community, being highly religious and spiritual.

 Curanderas often use herbs and other natural remedies to cure illnesses, but their primary method of healing is the supernatural.  Belief that the cause of many illnesses are lost malevolent spirits, a lesson from God, or a curse.

Sabinita Herrera  Sabinita is a 55 year old Hispanic curandera born to and reared by traditions prevalent in northern New Mexico’s mountain villages.  Author describes her as a very focused and well determined wise lady.

 Sabinita had a great relationship with her dad who taught her about names of Herbs used for healing.  Her formal academic ended at the 7th grade  First step of curanderismo learning: location of herbs

 Using herbs for healing:  Dandelion for heart problems  Altamisa de la sierra to lower high blood pressure  Anil del muerto good for lung and liver problems  Inmortal for bronchitis, colds  Catholic influence and spirituality  “I think my gift of healing was from the Lord, and that the Lord reached down and said, ‘Sabinita, this is what you’re going to do.’ It feels just like I’ve come out of Mass every day.” (Perrone 103)

Gregorita Rodriguez Gregorita was the first-born daughter of Ramona and Rafael Montoya. Born in 1901 in her father's house on Montoya Hill in Santa Fe, she was instructed in the art of healing by her aunt Tia Valentina.

 As a child and throughout her life, Gregorita gathered herbs in Pacheco Canyon northeast of Santa Fe.  "Their patients sense this and share in the faith in the healer's source of power. I can't tell someone exactly how to heal. I can share the skills and techniques of massage of the stomach. I can explain the healing properties of the herbs. This knowledge is important, but the rest is not something you hear with your ears or see with your eyes.” (Perrone 112)

Jesusita Aragon  Dona Jesusita is a healer of northern New Mexico.  She was Born on a ranch in Sapello, known as El Rancho Trujillo in

 She delivered her first baby when she was only thirteen years old.  Her formal academic ended at the 8th grade.  delivered more than twelve thousand babies--the population of a good sized New Mexican town.

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Conclusion All curanderas work their healing differently from one another, but they share the faith that a greater power is working through them.

Work Cited  Perrone, B Medicine Women, Curanderas, and Women Doctors University of Oklahoma Press., Pubs. Oklahoma  Anon Santa Fe Living Treasures [online]. Available: