Do healers really reverse curses?
October 18, 2007
Arlington, Virginia
I can see the Arlington Central Library from my apartment balcony, a daily reminder of what a wonderful resource the library can be in our lives. At a minimum I go to the library once a month for books (pleasure and research reading), movies, music, and, every now and again, events. It just so happens that one of the events the library is hosting this fall is a Big Read for Bless Me, Ultima.
 |
I was away the weekend of the kickoff but got home in time to see the Los Quetzales Mexican Dance Troupe getting into their cars before driving away, still decked out in full traditional dress. By the looks of it, I had missed out on a great time so I began checking my calendar for the next event I could catch.
Last Wednesday, David and I took the quick Metro ride out to Arlington, Virginia — really just commuting home for me — to attend a panel discussion by Professor of Folklore Margaret Yokum of George Mason University and poet J. Michael Martinez. Margaret has taught Bless Me, Ultima in her class “Folklores of the Americas” for 20 years and has a deep understanding of Anaya’s storytelling style and cultural influences. Michael, who grew up in Colorado and now teaches there, lent his unique insight into the book as the grandson of a spiritualista — a woman who talks to spirits, in the same hybrid magic/Catholic tradition as curanderas like Ultima.
Michael noted a common question from readers outside the Chicano tradition of Bless Me, Ultima: Is this real? Do healers really reverse curses? Concoct balms from field flowers? And more importantly, does it all work? In Michael’s experience, the answer is yes. He relayed a story about his grandmother’s first experience of death as a little girl, when her pet chick died. She was so upset that she held it in her hands and, not knowing what else to do, blew on it. When she put it down again, it got up, ran a few feet and fell over dead. She blew on it again, with the same results. A third time, same thing. Eventually, the chick could not be revived. But this was her first experience of the netherworld between death and life, an area she would reach through spirits for the rest of her days. I have to say, I got goosebumps.
I should also note that the folks at the Arlington Library started off the evening with a 20-minute documentary previously unknown to us in Big Read headquarters called From Cuandera to Chupacabra: The Stories of Rudolfo Anaya, directed by Kelly Kowalski. You can catch the whole thing here: http://www.knmetv.org/Anaya/anayaDocumentary.html. It has some great commentary from Anaya’s fellow writers and childhood friends, their personal reactions to his work, and some speculation about the origins of his storytelling style.
Following the presentations, Margaret led a discussion that included some great questions from the presenters and the audience. In addition to Michael’s about the reality of cuanderas, another question we tackled, was what does Ultima learn from Antonio and what does his future hold?
I’ll leave the other ten-plus communities examining Anaya this fall to answer those for themselves.