The Shaman
Panama
December 2004
He is rugged and knowledgable and a healer. He is the shaman for his villager. He shows me a plant that will help my arthritis. He can make up a concoction of tree bark and plants and maybe bugs that are grinned together and used to treat diarrhea. One plant soothes itchy skin. Another plant eleviates heart burn.
He has a huge scar across his belly. I point to it.
"Do you treat yourself" I ask.
"No", he tells me and looks at his scar. "Cancer, I go to hospital."
