Abstract

PAPALINI, Vanina. Validity and legitimacy of traditional American medicines: the case of the Barefoot Doctors of Chinique, Guatemala. Etnográfica [online]. 2023, vol.27, n.1, pp.73-94.  Epub Apr 28, 2023. ISSN 0873-6561.  https://doi.org/10.4000/etnografica.12990.

The aim of this article is to identify the forms of legitimation used by traditional medicines to defend their persistence and development. Research focuses on the case of the Medicos Descalzos (MeDes) of Chinique (Guatemala) Association, a self-managed organization of Mayan K’iche’ medicine. A field work of five weeks duration was carried out, mainly using the ethnographic method and the analysis of historical and contemporary documents. The contribution of the article is the typification of the process of systematization and validation of knowledge of Mayan K’iche’ medicine carried out by MeDes, illustrated in the description of the work of midwives.

Keywords : traditional medicine; Mayan medicine; Medicos Descalzos of Chinique Association; midwives; health; Guatemala.

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