Indigenous Narratives of Health: (Re)Placing Folk-Medicine within Irish Health Histories

Abstract

With the increased acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within society, new research reflects deeper folk health histories beyond formal medical spaces. The contested relationships between formal and informal medicine have deep provenance and as scientific medicine began to professionalise in the 19th century, lay health knowledges were simultaneously absorbed and disempowered (Porter 1997). In particular, the 'medical gaze' and the responses of informal medicine to this gaze were framed around themes of power, regulation, authenticity and narrative reputation. These responses were emplaced and mobile; enacted within multiple settings by multiple agents and structures over time. The work is drawn from secondary material from Ireland, which identify more indigenous narratives of health and act as potential sources for medical humanities. While assumptions have been made as to the place of folk-medicine being essentially rural, evidence will be presented which shows a more complex network of health beliefs and practices. The narratives of informal practice and folk-medicine drawn from evidence from Ireland point to more fluid and hybrid relations with formal medicine and suggest that the complementary nature of the two models reflected wider cultural debates and models of belief (Del Casino Jnr., Health & Place 10:59-73, 2004).

The Isolation of a Novel Streptomyces sp. CJ13 from a Traditional Irish Folk Medicine Alkaline Grassland Soil that Inhibits Multiresistant Pathogens and Yeasts

“…Although traditional medicines are quite well known for Chinese and African traditions, many European traditions have almost disappeared or are the preserve of rural backwaters. Some of the last vestiges of these traditions can be found on the furthest fringes of Western Europe on the island of Ireland [15]. Although some of this traditional medicine has been partially documented [16,17], many of the traditional cures were closely guarded secrets passed down through generations that have now almost faded from memory.…”

Narrativas de estudiantes universitarios indígenas en Bogotá (Colombia) sobre el proceso vital humano indígena, 2021

“…For example, in North America, the narrative approach in research on suicide among indigenous peoples was found compatible with indigenous culture and facilitated research (40). On the other hand, in Ireland, indigenous health narratives support fluid relationships with biomedicine and elicit broader cultural debates and belief models (41). Hence, in this work, qualitative research with a narrative approach is consolidated as a research methodology appropriate toward determining the constructions encompassed by the concept of the human life process and circulated among Rev.…”

¿Qué es la medicina alternativa, complementaria e integrativa?

“…Este tipo de medicina merece una especial consideración como fenómeno que se mantiene en las diferentes latitudes donde aún existen comunidades de origen primitivo que conservan principios de la historia de la medicina en sus diferentes manifestaciones con concepciones particulares sobre salud y enfermedad, con resultados positivos dentro de sus comunidades. (102)(103)(104)(105) Como se puede obervar, el concepto de Medicina Alternativa no se refiere simplemente a la utilización de cualquier estrategia que no esté contemplada dentro de la medicina convencional o tradicional, sino que realmente corresponde al ejercicio adecuado de otros sistemas de practicar la medicina que tienen una fundamentación histórica y social y para lo cual se requiere el conocimiento adecuado de cada disciplina.…”