A Folk Healer is Born
This is the first of a five-part folk medicine interview with Francisco Chavajay, curandero de huesos, a folk healer of bones. I interviewed him while studying at the San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala. I am very thankful to don Francisco for sharing this information about his work. It is important for all of us who live and/or work within a Latino community to understand “curanderismo,” folk healing (folk medicine). When I talked with people in San Pedro La Laguna about Francisco Chavajay, everyone had a story about how he had cured them or their family member. I also heard stories about people traveling from other countries to get help with their back problems and other musculoskeletal problems. It was obvious that Francisco Chavajay holds a very respected position in the community and is an integral part of their healthcare. I hope this interview not only helps you to improve your Spanish-speaking skills but also opens your mind to the world of curanderismo and the important role it plays in Latino culture. I began the interview asking don Francisco when he became a curandero…

Interview
Yo: Bienvenidos al Medical Spanish Podcast. Soy la doctora Molly Martin y hoy estoy con el curandero Francisco Chavajay de San Pedro la Laguna. Muchas gracias Francisco por estar aquí con nosotros hoy. Quisiera hacer esta entrevista para que podamos aprender sobre lo que es un curandero y qué proporciona a la comunidad. Primero, me gustaría saber cuando te hiciste curandero.
Francisco: Bien, gracias. Mi respuesta es la siguiente. Fíjese que para ser curandero uno no aprende, no le enseñan, sino que lo trae desde el vientre de la madre. O sea es un don que Dios le da a uno. Yo… yo soy curandero de huesos, quebraduras, zafaduras, torceduras, algo así, dislocaciones todo eso. Ese es mi trabajo.
Yo: …como ortopedista…
Francisco: Eso. Así es. Y….es que el don que uno trae, lo trae desde el vientre de la madre. Es que según las costumbres de mis abuelos antepasados, en el momento de concebir, un hijo de la madre, trae un don. En el momento de dar a luz, al nacer, también. Y al crecer qué es lo que uno va a venir a ser, cuando empieza el trabajo.
Want to learn more?
Listen to the full Folk Medicine Interview. This interview introduces the Folk Medicine series offered through the Medical Spanish Subscription at docmolly.com.
In the premium podcast, we go through everything don Francisco said. The podcast is interactive with pauses for you to practice your Spanish after we review each key phrase. We also talk about some of the grammar used.
Subscribe to the premium Medical Spanish Podcast.
Premium Members: Access the premium interactive series: Folk Medicine
Gracias por escuchar. Thanks for listening.