Australia’s other ‘flying doctors’
Australia’s other ‘flying doctors’
How can modern medicine include traditional bush healers whose spirits fly around at night diagnosing people’s problems?
Excerpt:
Ngangkari treat mental health and physical problems using plants, minerals, animal products and spiritual healing, drawing on knowledge passed down verbally from generation to generation for an estimated 60,000 years. The NPYWC ngangkari tell me they do not directly treat drug addiction or other diseases such as diabetes that they say were unknown in indigenous communities before European settlement brought new social problems and diets high in processed sugar and flour. But they will treat people suffering from mental distress or physical conditions such as injuries and trauma, muscular diseases, and issues surrounding pregnancy.
Their approach to mental health in particular has been praised in Australia and beyond. But although their role in helping indigenous communities is acknowledged by parts of the medical establishment, some ngangkari advocates believe more formal integration is needed to address entrenched health inequalities between indigenous and white Australians.
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An interesting take on how spirit is directly related to some illness and is treated as such.
Australia’s other ‘flying doctors’
How can modern medicine include traditional bush healers whose spirits fly around at night diagnosing people’s problems?
Excerpt:
Ngangkari treat mental health and physical problems using plants, minerals, animal products and spiritual healing, drawing on knowledge passed down verbally from generation to generation for an estimated 60,000 years. The NPYWC ngangkari tell me they do not directly treat drug addiction or other diseases such as diabetes that they say were unknown in indigenous communities before European settlement brought new social problems and diets high in processed sugar and flour. But they will treat people suffering from mental distress or physical conditions such as injuries and trauma, muscular diseases, and issues surrounding pregnancy.
Their approach to mental health in particular has been praised in Australia and beyond. But although their role in helping indigenous communities is acknowledged by parts of the medical establishment, some ngangkari advocates believe more formal integration is needed to address entrenched health inequalities between indigenous and white Australians.
___________________________________________________________
An interesting take on how spirit is directly related to some illness and is treated as such.