Preview
Media Type
Image
Description
A moment in ceremonies of the nine-day Navajo Mountain Chant is captured in the painting. These ceremonies embody all the elements of primitive medicine-- religion, magic, chants, physiotherapeutic, and psychotherapeutic measures as well as drug lore. The medicine man, or "singer", chants, sings, prays, and utilizes magico-religious artifacts and sacred powders in this ritual as the patient is seated in a colorful sand painting. The patient is given draughts of decoctions of various herbs, which are shared by the medicine man as well as by the spectators. Family and friends witness and join the ceremonies conducted in a medicine "Hogan".
Keywords
Museum of Medical History, special collections, image gallery
