Being healed by an indigenous traditional healer: sacred healing stories of Native Americans. Part II

Culture determines how one views illness and thus, their choice of healing to seek treatment for disease processes. Traditional indigenous healing is an ancient holistic approach used today by some Native Americans to resolve health care problems. This article presents four stories of three indigenous people who sought traditional healing for imbalance and disease. The accounts were derived from a qualitative phenomenological study, The lived experience of indigenous people healed by indigenous traditional healers. The healing stories provide examples of contemporary specific healing rituals used during indigenous healing encounters. Healing methods described include the Sun Dance, Yuwipi, Ojibwe Healing Ceremony, Shaking Tent and Shaker Healing Ritual. The stories reveal that old knowledge is still paramount in a contemporary society. The accounts point to the necessity for health care professionals and nurses to understand and encourage Native people to incorporate indigenous healing practices into their lives for attainment of the highest level of well-being, which includes potential for decreasing health disparities in this population.