Spiritualism, Santeria, Spiritualism, Santeria, and Fatalismand Fatalism

This is part 2 of an 8 part series of seminars on Hispanic Health Issues brought to you by the University of North Florida’s Dept. of Public Health, College of Health, a grant from AETNA, and the cooperation of Duval

County Health Department. For more information or register for the seminars, please call 620-1289.

Otilia Salmon, PhD

College of Education & Human Services

University of North Florida

• The projected 2005 population based The projected 2005 population based on 1990 census indicates 38 million on 1990 census indicates 38 million Hispanics in the United States which Hispanics in the United States which represents approximately 13 percent represents approximately 13 percent of the total population, making it the of the total population, making it the largest minority group in the country. largest minority group in the country.

• In 1996, the number of Hispanic In 1996, the number of Hispanic children (12 million) in the country children (12 million) in the country surpassed the number of African surpassed the number of African American children (11.4 million ).American children (11.4 million ).

• Hispanic health beliefs have focused Hispanic health beliefs have focused on rural and/or low SES Mexican-on rural and/or low SES Mexican-AmericansAmericans

• Caution must be exercised in Caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings to all persons generalizing the findings to all persons of Hispanic ethnicity. of Hispanic ethnicity.

(Salas, Erickson, & Reed. American Journal of Speech – Language (Salas, Erickson, & Reed. American Journal of Speech – Language Pathology)Pathology)

• This is especially crucial given that in This is especially crucial given that in the next 20 years at least one-third of the next 20 years at least one-third of all clinical caseloads will consist of all clinical caseloads will consist of individuals from minority groups individuals from minority groups

(Cole, 1989; Zuniga, 1992; Sue & Sue, 1990).(Cole, 1989; Zuniga, 1992; Sue & Sue, 1990).

• Hispanics traditionally view the Hispanics traditionally view the family as the most valued institution, family as the most valued institution, with their religious and folk beliefs with their religious and folk beliefs being essential aspects of the family being essential aspects of the family system (Madsen, 1974l Samora, system (Madsen, 1974l Samora, 1963; Zaldivar, 1994).1963; Zaldivar, 1994).

In Latin American it is commonly In Latin American it is commonly believed that many illness can be believed that many illness can be caused bycaused by::

•Psychological states such as Psychological states such as embarrassment, envy, anger, fear, embarrassment, envy, anger, fear, fright, excessive worry, turmoil in the fright, excessive worry, turmoil in the family, or improper behavior or family, or improper behavior or violations of moral or ethical codes;violations of moral or ethical codes;•Environmental or natural conditions Environmental or natural conditions such as bad air, germs, dust, excess such as bad air, germs, dust, excess cold or heat, bad food, or poverty and cold or heat, bad food, or poverty and Supernatural causesSupernatural causes

Beliefs, continuedBeliefs, continued……

• Supernatural causes such as Supernatural causes such as malevolent spirits, bad luck, or the malevolent spirits, bad luck, or the witchcraft of living enemies (who are witchcraft of living enemies (who are believed to cause harm out of believed to cause harm out of vengeance or envy.)vengeance or envy.)

FatalismFatalism • Illness can be viewed as a punishment Illness can be viewed as a punishment

or the will of God.or the will of God.

• In such cases prayers and candles are In such cases prayers and candles are often offered. However, fatalism is a often offered. However, fatalism is a prevailing sentiment in the Latino prevailing sentiment in the Latino culture. culture.

• It is the belief that persons have little It is the belief that persons have little control over what happens to them. control over what happens to them. (Hazuda, Stern, & Haffner, 1998).(Hazuda, Stern, & Haffner, 1998).

The belief in The belief in Spiritualism is Spiritualism is commonly found among commonly found among the poor.the poor.

1. Poverty excludes many from full access to science-based medicine and encourages people to seek other avenues to healing. The range of spiritual healing practices in Latin America today is very diverse.

2. Insufficient medical personnel

3. Distance from health services

Spiritualism continued…Spiritualism continued…

• Humans have both a physical and Humans have both a physical and spiritual body. spiritual body.

• Discarnate entities constantly contact Discarnate entities constantly contact the physical world. the physical world.

• Humans can learn to contact and Humans can learn to contact and incorporate the spirits for the purposes incorporate the spirits for the purposes of healing and spiritual evolution.of healing and spiritual evolution.

Spiritualist Beliefs in Latin America

Spiritual HealersSpiritual Healers

Under the

umbrella of spiritual

healing are the

curanderos or

curanderas, shamen,

spiritists, andherbalists.

Spiritual healing

also takes place in

Religious ceremonies

such as the

Macumba/

candumble, or

Santeria.

MacumbaMacumba

• UmbandistasUmbandistas, like other Macumba groups, , like other Macumba groups, believe that there are no "evil" spirits, only believe that there are no "evil" spirits, only misbehaving spirits that need to be educated.misbehaving spirits that need to be educated.

• QuimbandaQuimbanda, however, uses mischief for its , however, uses mischief for its own desires. Considered black magic by own desires. Considered black magic by many, many, Quimbandistas Quimbandistas siphon power from siphon power from unruly spirits, and therefore their practices unruly spirits, and therefore their practices are considered tainted.are considered tainted.

•Candumble, like Macumba, is Candumble, like Macumba, is practiced mostly in South America.practiced mostly in South America.

Santeria

Mal De OjoMal De Ojo

• Illness is also seen as the result of the Illness is also seen as the result of the ill will of others. ill will of others.

• For example, mal de ojo (“the evil eye”)For example, mal de ojo (“the evil eye”)

Mal de Ojo – Evil EyeMal de Ojo – Evil Eye

• The Evil eye is a folk illness with The Evil eye is a folk illness with symptoms such as high fever, symptoms such as high fever, headaches, insomnia, and in headaches, insomnia, and in children, excessive crying. It is said children, excessive crying. It is said to be caused by the gaze of an to be caused by the gaze of an envious or jealous person.envious or jealous person.• With the evil eye, a person may With the evil eye, a person may unwittingly damage the baby by unwittingly damage the baby by admiring him or her too long or by admiring him or her too long or by making too many positive comments.making too many positive comments.

Evil Eye, cont.Evil Eye, cont.

A mother will worry if a person looked A mother will worry if a person looked directly and insistently, with directly and insistently, with admiration, at her baby. The admiration, at her baby. The admiring person might experience a admiring person might experience a subtle envy that would be subtle envy that would be pathogenic.pathogenic.

• Pat the infant’s head slightly after Pat the infant’s head slightly after making a positive comment. This is making a positive comment. This is thought to alleviate the effects of the thought to alleviate the effects of the eyesighteyesight. .

• The mother may place a red object, The mother may place a red object, like a choral bracelet or a red string like a choral bracelet or a red string around the baby’s wrist as something around the baby’s wrist as something to protect him or her from the evil eye.to protect him or her from the evil eye.

How to counteract the effects of the Evil Eye:

• is sold in many markets in Mexico to is sold in many markets in Mexico to be placed around the child’s neck or be placed around the child’s neck or wrist, also thought to be protectivewrist, also thought to be protective..

A seed called “ojo de venado” (deer’s A seed called “ojo de venado” (deer’s eye)eye)

Ojo de Dios- God’s EyeOjo de Dios- God’s Eye

• Another way to wear off the effects Another way to wear off the effects of the evil eye is to mark a blue of the evil eye is to mark a blue cross on the bottom of an infant’s cross on the bottom of an infant’s foot or hang a figa around the neck foot or hang a figa around the neck or wrist of the baby. or wrist of the baby.

Figa

• Once the person (baby or mother) Once the person (baby or mother) is already the victim of those is already the victim of those influences, the remedy may be to influences, the remedy may be to be “cleansed” through a “limpia” be “cleansed” through a “limpia” (cleaning). (cleaning).

• This may be achieved by a family This may be achieved by a family member or by a curandero member or by a curandero (healer). (healer).

•Also, a special combination of Also, a special combination of herbs in used to perform this herbs in used to perform this cleaning. The bundles of herbs cleaning. The bundles of herbs can be bought already made in can be bought already made in the markets in Mexico.the markets in Mexico.

• Often, an egg is passed over the Often, an egg is passed over the body of the person to absorb the body of the person to absorb the negative energy or influence. negative energy or influence.

Illnesses with Spiritual Illnesses with Spiritual CausesCauses

• Beliefs regarding illnesses: Beliefs regarding illnesses:

a) an illness may be caused by an a) an illness may be caused by an imbalance between hot and cold or imbalance between hot and cold or by being improperly dressed for the by being improperly dressed for the weather;weather;

b) diarrhea may result from the b) diarrhea may result from the presence of flies in the home; presence of flies in the home;

c)c) mal de ojo (evil eye) can cause mal de ojo (evil eye) can cause conjunctivitis and other diseases;conjunctivitis and other diseases;

d) susto (fright sickness) can result d) susto (fright sickness) can result in the loss of appetite and weight in the loss of appetite and weight as well as fatigue. as well as fatigue.

• Mexican-American healing practices Mexican-American healing practices are a comfort to many families and are a comfort to many families and include remedios caseros (home include remedios caseros (home remedies):remedies):

• Holy water, votive candles, eggs, rice Holy water, votive candles, eggs, rice water, and medicinal teas such as water, and medicinal teas such as manzanilla (chamomile). manzanilla (chamomile).

• A curse may involve a magical A curse may involve a magical purification ritual performed by a purification ritual performed by a curandero/a (folk practitioner).curandero/a (folk practitioner).

• Spiritualistic healers can also be a Spiritualistic healers can also be a source of treatment through liturgical source of treatment through liturgical ceremonies that incorporate access ceremonies that incorporate access to the spirit world, cleansing rituals, to the spirit world, cleansing rituals, and herbal potionsand herbal potions(Spires-Robin & McGarrahan, 1995).(Spires-Robin & McGarrahan, 1995).

•Beliefs may vary from prayer Beliefs may vary from prayer (82.5%) to the use of urine in the (82.5%) to the use of urine in the ear (2.5%).ear (2.5%).

• 12.5% indicate that scaring a 12.5% indicate that scaring a person could be used to treat person could be used to treat stuttering.stuttering.

• Groups call upon the deity to protect Groups call upon the deity to protect their temples. their temples.

• Priests, or Priests, or babalao, babalao, are in charge of are in charge of handling animals that will be used as handling animals that will be used as sacrifices in rituals. sacrifices in rituals.

• For members, rigorous devotion to For members, rigorous devotion to ritualistic chants and dancing are ritualistic chants and dancing are required for initiation into the group. required for initiation into the group. Abstinence from certain foods and Abstinence from certain foods and sex is also required.sex is also required.

• Some results support the Some results support the stereotype that low income, stereotype that low income, less educated, and/or older less educated, and/or older minority persons hold folk minority persons hold folk beliefs regarding causes and beliefs regarding causes and cures of disability.cures of disability.

DisabilitiesDisabilities

• In order to provide quality treatment to In order to provide quality treatment to individuals from cultures other than individuals from cultures other than their own, healthcare professionals, their own, healthcare professionals, including speech-language including speech-language pathologists and audiologists, must pathologists and audiologists, must understand cultural variation including understand cultural variation including folk beliefs about causes and folk beliefs about causes and treatment of disabilities. treatment of disabilities.

Because a disability is “owned” by the Because a disability is “owned” by the family members, it may be easier for family members, it may be easier for the individual to adapt to his/her the individual to adapt to his/her disability (Alvarez, 1998). In contrast, disability (Alvarez, 1998). In contrast, machismo (maleness, virility) may machismo (maleness, virility) may contribute to denial of a disability. For contribute to denial of a disability. For example, some males in Hispanic example, some males in Hispanic culture may feel that participation in a culture may feel that participation in a rehabilitation program is a sign of rehabilitation program is a sign of weakness. weakness.

Women also may deny the impact of a Women also may deny the impact of a disability in order to meet cultural disability in order to meet cultural expectations to aguantar (endure) expectations to aguantar (endure) the hardship of the disability. the hardship of the disability.

• A disability may be A disability may be viewed as a divine viewed as a divine punishment for sin, and punishment for sin, and the family may believe the family may believe they should not interfere they should not interfere with God’s will.with God’s will.

Causes of childhood disabilities are Causes of childhood disabilities are believed to include : believed to include : (a) premonitions (dreams during (a) premonitions (dreams during pregnancy); pregnancy); (b) past transgressions (prior sins); (b) past transgressions (prior sins); (c) genetic problems; (c) genetic problems; (d) birth trauma; and (d) birth trauma; and (e) childhood accidents such as the (e) childhood accidents such as the baby being dropped.baby being dropped.

• Children with disability may be Children with disability may be considered healthy and normal. Being considered healthy and normal. Being healthy could simply refer to a lack of healthy could simply refer to a lack of physical illness or disease, and being physical illness or disease, and being normal may be culturally defined as normal may be culturally defined as being able to tend to activities of daily being able to tend to activities of daily living at their present level of living at their present level of functioning (Mardiros, 1989). functioning (Mardiros, 1989).

• Religion, including rituals such as Religion, including rituals such as visiting a holy place, crossing oneself visiting a holy place, crossing oneself with holy water, and making promises with holy water, and making promises to a saint relate to folk beliefs to a saint relate to folk beliefs regarding health and illness.regarding health and illness.

• How one views the causes of How one views the causes of disability and the healing process can disability and the healing process can be classified as either emic (an be classified as either emic (an insider’s point of view) or etic (an insider’s point of view) or etic (an outsider’s scientific point of view).outsider’s scientific point of view).

• From a clinical perspective, From a clinical perspective, imposing an etic view and/or not imposing an etic view and/or not respecting the emic view could respecting the emic view could interfere with the clinical interfere with the clinical relationship.relationship.