Tarahumara medicine, part 2

Last month we began our look at the Tarahumara people of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Durango. I considered their diet, lifestyle, and culture as the main factors in their incredible stamina and endurance. This month I will focus on the medicinal herbs that are traditionally used by Tarahumara of Sojahuachi, Chihuahua. Sojahuachi gets its name from Sojawa, which is the name of a wild, edible mushroom that grows abundantly in the area.
Most of the Tarahumara that live in Sojhuachi work in the forest, tending their sheep, raising their crops, and gathering wild foods and herbs. The Tarahumara, like all traditional indigenous people, live a simple life, yet within a complex structure of culture and belief systems. There is copious ritual observance practiced in everything that they do, from the planting and harvesting of crops, to having children, treating illness, their competitive running, and everything in between.
Within the integral components of ritual tradition, is the making and consumption of an indigenous fermented beverage called tesguino. The Tarahumara call it batàri, navaiti, paciki, suguìki, tùrisi, and urùbisi. Batàri is a ceremonial beverage, not unlike beer, prepared with germinated and fermented corn, along with other grains, and may contain any number of herbs and wild medicinal plants including maguey, toloache, peyote, and other psychoactive cacti. This drink is consumed before, during, and after any important event, observance, or celebration.
Among the medicinal plants used by the Sojahuachi Tarahumara are the following: Bajichul’i, a yellow-flowered plant with a sugar/chocolate/cinnamon aroma. This plant is used to treat susto. The root of Bal’iguichi is used to treat diarrhea, while its leaves are mixed with corn masa to make tortillas. The leaves of Cachanowa are used to treat empacho and fiebre en el estómago, conditions attributed to eating improperly cooked food, or simply eating too much. The fruit and root of Calabacilla is used as a purgative and to treat a certain type of venereal disease. The leaves of Cal’awuala, a type of fern, are used to treat chest and back pain, tonsillitis, pain of the heart, and diarrhea. Cochimi is used for toothaches and to help children sleep. Cochironora is used to treat disenterìa, a condition characterized by watery eyes, itching behind the ears, playing with one’s fingernails, and lack of appetite. The leaves of Chuca are used for coughs, kidney problems, skin problems, and bladder problems. The root of Chuchupate is used to treat cough, flu, and colds, and also lung pain. This is a very popular hierba even around here, during the cold and flu season. A tea made from the bark of the Gusa’lo tree is used to help a woman during birth. The leaves of Hierba Colorada, in tea form, are used to treat kidney problems and diarrhea. Empacho is treated with the seeds of Hierba del Pastor. For back pain, a tea made from the leaves and root of Hierba Mula is taken three times daily, until the pain is gone. Hierba Zorrillo, a first cousin to epazote, is used to treat empacho and stomach ache. Another plant that is used to treat kidney pain and diarrhea is called Kokuri. It is taken in tea form three times daily, until symptoms disappear. A tea made from the root of Makiki, a species of wild geranium, is taken twice daily to treat kidney pain. Manzanilla, an herb with the same common name as the one we use around here, but yet a totally different species, is used to treat stomach ache, colic, and empacho.
That will cover it for this issue. Next time, we will look at a few more of the plants that are used by the Tarahumara of Sojahuachi. It is important to realize that this article is simply for informational purposes. The plants noted and their traditional uses are based on their common local names in the Sojahuachi area. Several listed are in the Tarahumara language, and should not be confused with any other species of herbs outside of the habitat where these grow. In other words, do not assume that the herbs in this article are the same ones we have either growing in our area, or are for sale as herbal medicine in the various shops in our area -- they are not. It is imperative that you consult with your physician, or an expert in the field of herbs, before using any herbal remedy.
For questions or comments on this column, I can be reached via e-mail at glorioso@netscorp.net. For more information on herbal medicine in South Texas, go to www.laredosnews.com and click on "The Medicine Man" column or on the "Medicine Man Archives" for a collection of previous articles.