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Mexico:
Community Projects
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The
Museum of Traditional Medicine of OMIECH Museum of traditional medicine from the ethnic groups tzeltal and tzotzil, created by the Organización de Médicos Indígenas del Estado de Chiapas (OMIECH). The objective of the museum is to promote Mayan medicine. For fifteen years the traditional doctors looked to promote their knowledge. The members, indigenous and mestizos, of this organization are present in 29 indigenous communities. They work helping train the communities, as well as producing different types of medicinal products. In the center where the museum is one it can visit a garden of medicinal plants, herbs store, and the offices of the organization. The museum is composed of several rooms and an alive chapel. It is called "alive chapel" since besides from being a chapel example of indigenous communities it is used also by the curanderos (healers) in their healing sessions, it has a demonstrative-functional purpose. Inside the chapel we find the following saints: San Pedro of Chenalhó, San Juan Chamula, San Andrés Larrainzar and San Lorenzo of Zinacantán. If we continue to the following rooms we find pictures of plants used in the region and their healing properties, as well as animals and minerals. In the following rooms we see representations of: a childbirth in an indigenous home, a pilico (man of Tenejapa in the preparation of the medicinal pilico), and a candle maker (a man that makes candles for ceremonies and healing rituals). To conclude your visit you can watch a movie on different aspects of traditional medicine and their practitioners. We saw a movie that narrates and records a natural childbirth in an indigenous community. Admission: $10 pesos. Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00; Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 till 17:00. (Prices might change during the time). How to arrive? In San Cristóbal de las Casas at Avenida Salomón González Blanco 10, the continuation northwards of the street Utrilla. Its about ten minutes walking from the market. |
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