Mdespite the great tragedies of our time, the traditions, the histories, the culture and the knowledge of the natives are signs to us. Languages and legends disappear, sometimes even entire tribes are extinguished. However, an Amazonian tribe - the Matsés of Brazil and Peru - have created a medical encyclopedia of traditional knowledge. The encyclopedia, compiled by 5 shamans, assisted by the conservation group Acate, details each medicinal plant of Matsé medicine for the cure of any kind of disease.
The encyclopedia of traditional medicine is the first of its kind. This is the first time that Amazonian shamans have written their medical knowledge in their mother tongue and using their own words, says Christopher Herndon, president and co-founder of Acaté, in an interview for Mongabay (cf. interview below).
The Matsé encyclopedia is published only in the Matsé language to protect the traditional medical knowledge of large corporations and researchers who have tried to steal this information in the past. This medical collection is intended for the learning of young shamans who wish to follow the traditions. It is the transmission of knowledge.
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