User:Katirosenb/Bush medicine

Healers

Aboriginal people believe that their healers, their 'medicine men', have special powers which are bestowed upon them by their spiritual ancestors to heal. They have the roles of both a general practitioner and a psychiatrist, healing both the body and mind.[17] These spiritual doctors were men (rarely women) of great wisdom and stature with immense power.

It generally comes through special training, commencing when still a youth, into the methodology and rituals related to discerning causes of illness, and involves spiritual revelation. The role of healer is rarely passed down directly from father to son, with future healers instead chosen for their developing social skills and an aptitude for learning.

A practitioner of bush medicine is called a "ngangkari". They cure illnesses through healing rituals that may involve sorcery. An example of such ritual would be singing, massaging and sucking to remove a foreign object that has entered the body, and invoking the power of the war god Ancestor Ngurunderi to heal the wounds of soldiers caused by spears and clubs. Aside from physical healing, ngangkaris also act as mental health practitioners, as they try to resolve conflicts within the community and offer advice as well. With every sickness, in addition to giving a diagnosis and advice on suitable remedies, the duty of the ngangkari is also to assess the impact of the sickness to the community.[18]

They have the roles of both a general practitioner and a psychiatrist, healing both the body and mind.

Many Aboriginal people choose to be treated by bush medicine instead of, or as well as, Western treatments for a number of reasons. These include: some Aboriginal people feel uncomfortable and out of place in a sterilised, Western clinic; Aboriginal bush medicine incorporates physical, spiritual and emotional healing, whereas Western medicine does not; and they believe that by using these treatments they are being drawn closer to their ancestors.[2]

Examples

Plants feature prominently in Aboriginal remedies chiefly used to relieve symptoms such as fever, congestion, headache, skin sores, tired or swollen aching limbs and digestive problem. Treatment can involve drinks, washes, massages and aromatherapies. The drinks are made by heating water with plant additives, and in Aboriginal English are commonly referred to as ‘tea’.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) tincure 20ml – for anti inflammatory activity and to improve local circulation at affected joints.[7]

Emu bush leaves, which were used by Northern Territory Aboriginal tribes to sterilise sores and cuts. The leaves are now being considered by Australian scientists as a viable steriliser for implants.[8]

Mitchell Park, now within Cattai National Park and situated near Sydney Basin in NSW, had many plants that were used as remedies for Aboriginal people.[9] Nine species of eucalyptus present in the park could act as remedies. The red gum kino is known to be rich in astringent tannins.[10] Additionally, this park also contained native pants that were actually used by early European settlers. The nectar-laden liquid from banksia flowers was used as a cough syrup, and from the native grapes (Cissus hypoglauca) a throat gargle was made.[10]

In Warrabri, Northern Territory, the cure for earache is squeezing the fatty part of a witchetty grub into the sore ear.[11] While in Uluru, the cure is squeezing rabbit urine into the ear.[12]

In New Zealand widespread in the North and South Islands though scarce north of Auckland. Seemingly confined to Victoria in Eastern Australia.[13] Aborigines used this prickly plant to ‘beat away’ paralysis and rheumatism by smacking the ill with its leaves. The tiny hairs that cover the leaf cause an extreme stinging sensation at first touch. Using tiny hollow tubes, similar to glass, the stinging nettle allows air to pass through the epidermis and enter special receptors in the skin and overstimulate them, causing extreme pain.[14] Urtica dioica produces its inflammatory effect on skin (stinging, burning sensation often called "contact urticaria") both by impaling the skin via spicules – causing mechanical irritation – and by biochemical irritants, such as histamine, serotonin, and choline, among other chemicals.[15] This plant inflicts a painful sting but it does not last long.[16]

Some of the most well known aboriginal remedies are readily available in most Australian supermarkets — Goanna oil, tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil.

The diversity of herbal remedies served Aboriginal people well. As hunter-gatherers they had to seasonally move through different habitat zones in the landscape, which meant that it was necessary for them to possess knowledge of a broad range of remedies. It was also important for Aboriginal people to know the seasonality of each plant species, some of which may not be as effective or even available at certain times of the year.

21st century use

The historical records are incomplete on the origin of most colonial healing practices.

Traditions in southern and eastern Australia have largely been lost, but efforts are being made by anthropologists to record traditions from Aborigines in central and north-western Australia.[4] In the Northern Territory, however, it is still relatively well-preserved. Ngangkeres are said to be present in health clinics to perform rituals and give medical advice when necessary.[18]

The use of bush medicine and natural remedies in Australia has declined, partly due to the loss of information. In Aboriginal culture they do not pass on information through writing, but through singing and dancing ceremonies, which are becoming far rarer. Without these ceremonies, the tens of thousands of years of knowledge that the Aboriginal elders hold can be lost.[21]

In 2019, the The Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) developed the first formalised, clinically endorsed mechanism to support ngangkaris working in accessed in acute, rehab, and palliative care inhospitals including Lyell McEwin and Modbury hospitals, as well as other units, including mental health facilities. Traditional healing methods used include Pampuni (healing touch), Mapampa (blowing), and Marali (spiritual healing and bush medicines) to complement mainstream treatment.[22]