Many aboriginal tribes have medicine men who they believe have a magical ability to cure ailments with special stones spirits placed in their bodies. The medicine man is not only responsible for removing the Ullinka (a pointing stick with a hooked end that they believed was placed in an individual’s body by a spirit that wanted to annoy them), but also for determining the person responsible for another’s death.
I thought the Aboriginal medical practices were fascinating. The processes involved are really intricate. The large involvement of spirits in Aboriginal beliefs clearly reaches into every element of their lives. The differences between Western Society and Aboriginal Belief is substantial in this area of culture. The biggest and most surprising difference that I found was the practice of assigning blame to another for a death. In America, the doctor is the first person the family of a person who passed away wants to blame for the death their particular sickness caused. Although this response is mostly out of grief, it shows the value Aboriginals see in medicine men, believing they can do no wrong, and that any negative outcome is directly caused by spirits or a person practicing sorcery.
Works Cited:
Spencer, Baldwin, and F.J. Gillen
1968 The Native Tribes of Central Australia.
Dover Publications, Inc.
Unknown Author
2000 Traditional Aboriginal Bush Medicine. Electronic document,
http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/medicine.php, accessed Nov 20.
Image Source: http://media.canada.com/idl/edjn/20060807/87393-32320.jpg
1968 The Native Tribes of Central Australia.
Dover Publications, Inc.
Unknown Author
2000 Traditional Aboriginal Bush Medicine. Electronic document,
http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/medicine.php, accessed Nov 20.
Image Source: http://media.canada.com/idl/edjn/20060807/87393-32320.jpg