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Traditional Healing Program

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

In 1997 the Tribal Council formally approved the establishment of the Traditional Healing Program; it was originally overseen by Dolores A. Flores who the center is now named after. A number of years later the Tribal Council approved additional funding to support the bringing of Traditional Healers from the Yoeme Pueblos in Sonora Mexico, to Tucson and Guadalupe to provide their services at the clinic.

The Traditional Healing program strives to help improve the health status of the Yoeme people, and to promote the learning of traditional knowledge for future generations of Yoeme people. The program has been embraced by community members of the various Yoeme communities which is evident by the consistently high levels of usage of its services.

Currently, Marcellina Lucero is the administrator of this program. She helps transport the healers to and from Mexico, makes sure the Healers have their supplies, and helps them while they work at the Health Department with translating, scheduling, and anything else that they need.

Vision

To promote the healing of the Mind, Body and Spirit with Traditional Yoeme Practices through entrustment of the Divine Creator and adhering to the Universal Laws of Healing.

Healers

Andres Velazquez Nuncio

Started as an athletic massager at baseball games in Sonora. He cared for the injured baseball players. Massager of the musculoskeletal, muscles, tendon nerves system and stress related pain.

Also works on childhood illnesses, digestion, massaging the musculoskeletal, stress, tendon, nervous system, spiritual blessings, spiritual counseling, a light herbalist and dream interpreter, etc.

Faustina Buitimea Gotobapicio

Worked as an interpreter for Healer Maria Matus of Sonora, a well-known Healer. She learned Herbal medicines while working with Maria Matus for many years.

Herbalist, massage for stress, digestion, infertility, diabetes, hypertension, female illnesses and spiritual cleansing, etc.

Josefina Jecari Cupiz and Juana Flores Jecari

Healers in the family passed down the knowledge of the herbal world of medicines and Josefina learned the herbal medicines from family healers. She started the healing works and tended to family only.

Herbalist healing digestion, head/nose/ears/throat, fevers, infections, diabetes, skin disorders, hypertension, infertility, bladder, and spiritual cleansing, etc.

Lucia Hernandez Espinoza

Started as a child receiving dreams. Her family knew she would be a Healer, and she performed healing works in Sonora.

Light massager for stress, herbalist, digestion, diabetes, bladder, dream interpreter, and spiritual cleansing, etc.

Sandra Aristea Flores Valenzuela

Began Healing works at age 8, family escorted her as she healed people with herbs and assisted mothers on maternity.

Herbalist and midwife, digestion, diabetes, bladder, head/nose/ears, skin disorders, infertility, infants, childhood illnesses, female disorders, massages for stress, and spiritual cleansing, etc.

Silvia Zavala Garcia

Started as an apprentice under the direction of Tiofila Mendoza Molina and assisted Tiofila with clientele care.

Light herbalist and massage for stress, digestion, bladder, head/nose/ears/throat, hypertension, infertility, childhood illnesses, infants and spiritual cleansing, etc.

Tiofila Mendoza Molina

Raised in a home of Healers, learned as a child the herbs and healing properties, assisted in the healing process using herbs on cliental.

Herbalist; healing digestion, fevers & infection, infertility, skin disorders, head/ears/nose/throat, childhood illnesses, infants, women and male disorders, diabetes, hypertension and spiritual cleansing, etc

History

In 1997 the Tribal Council formally approved the integration of the Traditional Healing Program within the Tribal government structure. This is followed by years of community and tribal health department personnel advocating for this program. The Traditional Healing program was developed to redress the health status of the Yoeme people. Secondly, the program was developed to promote traditional knowledge for future generations of Yoeme people. Many Tribal members had very little knowledge or experience about the healing powers of Traditional Healing.

The program was accepted and embraced by various Yoeme communities, which has been reflected in the high numbers of patients coming to the Program. The Tribal Council provided additional funding to support the Traditional Healing Exchange Program. The Exchange Program consist of bringing other traditional healers, Hitevi(s) from Yoeme Pueblos located in Sonora, Mexico on a monthly basis.

Philosophy

Yoeme Traditional healing is defined by a practice that is inherently holistic in nature where nothing is compartmentalized or isolated. There is a relationship that develops between a client and healer based on trust and faith in the cultural and spiritual values of traditional healing.

There is no fee for services rendered during regular business hours. The Traditional healer’s utmost concern is to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the patient. Their practice are based on keeping with cultural values, and similar to other complementary and alternative healing practices, on the relationship that develops between healer and the client. Communication defines this relationship and is a means to diagnosis.

The types of services and therapies provided by the Traditional Healing program include:

– Spiritual and emotional consultations and counselling
– Smudging
– Limpia (cleansing)
– Massage
– And other traditional healing rituals

Eligibility

Any Pascua Yaqui Tribal member, their spouse (or common law partner), and their minor dependents regardless of residence, and any Pascua Yaqui Tribal employee (does not include their non-tribal family members).

Pascua Yaqui Tribe – Health Department

DOLORES A. FLORES – Hiak Hitevi Center Traditional Healing Program

Tucson: 7490 S. Camino De Oeste, Tucson AZ, 85757
Front desk: (520) 879-6129 or (520) 879-6206
Guadalupe: 9405 S. Avenida Del Yaqui, Guadalupe, AZ 85283
Front desk: (480) 768-2000 or (480) 768-2062

OPERATIONAL HOURS
9 AM – 4:30 PM
12:00 – 1:00 Closed for Lunch
LOCATIONS
TUCSON; 7490 S. Camino De Oeste
January through November (December closed)
GUADALUPE; 9405 S. Avenida Del Yaqui
(Quarterly) January – April – July – October