Folkways
by Maya Brown Zniewski
THE NEW HERBALISM FROM ANCIENT ROOTS
I
t is cold here as I write this; our
first real snow has come late, but
with vengeance. When it was
still warm in September, Charles
Garcia,
Curanderismo
and
Director of the California School of
Hispanic Herbalism, and Ruth
practices of the old ways. It is an
exciting adventure to see the result-
ing blossoming of books, blogs,
schools and practices.
At an organic farm in Anoka,
Minnesota, a group of students met,
learning the history, rituals, herbs,
Nature’s C lassroom
McConnell, Healer, made a trip
around the county. I was one of the
very honored hosts.
For several centuries, Natural
Healers, Herbalists, Medicine Men
and Curanderismos have practiced
their Healing Arts on the down low.
Folks passed on the information by
word of mouth through friends and
family. The modern view was that it
was either useless or dangerous
magic. Families would maintain
traditional medicine as quaint
home remedies passed from parent
to children, but it was rare that it
was written for the public record. In
the last 25 – 30 years there has been
a renaissance of traditional healing.
Herbalists have searched old
records and picked the memories of
grandparents to rebuild and spread
information on a variety of healing
and culture of Curanderismo as
Mr. Garcia’s family practices it. We
sit in a circle, drinks of tea and
water and the occasional soda in
hand, listening to how Mr. Garcia
began his craft and how he teaches.
He has a medicine bag, larger than
most, made of leather with designs
embroidered on it, filled with a sil-
ver coin from when money was still
an element and a bullet he had spe-
cially made, feathers from various
birds, stones charged with positive
energy, herbs like mugwort and
sage, a knife handmade by a true
craftsperson, other little but impor-
tant trinkets. I volunteer, excitedly
and enthusiastically, to be an exam-
ple of how Charles helps to heal. I
lie on the ground in the middle of
the circle as Charles chants a prayer
over me and draws out whatever
spirits, negative vibes, little curses
have been laid upon me, removing
illness and leading goodness
towards me. He floats the feather
and burns the sage; he holds the
stone over my heart. When I rise I
feel rooted and calm, cleared of a
jumble of bad Juju.
Over the two weeks Charles and
Ruth were staying here we spent
time sitting around my kitchen
table, which was crafted by my
grandfather’s father, chatting, cook-
ing and eating. We drank the rich
coffee they had
brought, a dark roast
ground finely, talking
until all hours,
Charles,
Ruth,
myself and Rowan
and Ben who were
also hosting. We
learned how and
why Charles does his
work, although to say
work is not a fair
term to describe
Curanderismo heal-
ing, it is more of a
calling or a summons
from God to heal, as
it is with the traditional healing
methods of most cultures. I make
connections, like invisible lines on a
map, between the similarities
among Curandismo, the traditional
healing practices of Celtic people,
and the traditional healing practices
of peoples from around the world.
They are stunning. The prayers are
in different languages, different ele-
ments are used, different stones, but
they all come from the same source.
A connection with ancestors and
God, Goddesses and Higher
Beings. In a strangeness of fate we
discover that Ruth McConnell is
also my cousin. Not only do I learn
so much from Charles and Ruth, I
have connected with a cousin.
Charles learned from his family
in a traditional way. The healing
way of Curandismo is passed from
his grandparents, parents and to
him going back to unknown gener-
ations. Hidden, to keep from com-
plete
disintegration,
now
Curandismo and other practices
like it are returning after many gen-
erations of practice on the down
low. This is a gift, his teaching
around the country, like the acorn
that falls from an Oak, only to grow
hundreds of miles down river. Ruth
C harles G arcia
and Charles are back in California
now. Charles is walking on the side-
walks and finding the hidden spots
of homeless veterans, helping them
with herbalism in daily care, leaving
a trail of Curandismo in his path.
Ruth is visiting with the trees and
helping Northern California recov-
er from fires. Just as the veterans
will slowly heal and the forest of
California will recover and renew
itself, the practice of Curandismo,
Herbalism
and
Traditional
Medicine is springing forth in new
growth.
Charles Garcia’s Website:
www.hispanicherbs.com
Cenizo
First Quarter 2018
25