Traditional West Coast Native Medicine

• Main Author: Deagle, George
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: Features; Pacific; haida
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2218156; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21253031

An important part of the complex culture of the Native people of Canada's Pacific coast is the traditional system of medicine each culture has developed. Population loss from epidemics and the influence of dominant European cultures has resulted in loss of many aspects of traditional medicine. Although some Native practices are potentially hazardous, continuation of traditional approaches to illness remains an important part of health care for many Native people. The use of “devil's club” plant by the Haida people illustrates that Native medicine has both spiritual and physical properties. Modern family practice shares many important foundations with traditional healing systems.