Macocc Maya and contemporary conceptions of cancer January 2013 Newsletter4 Project Background The goal of the MACOCC project is to develop a systemic approach to human cancer which allows to describe and to relate (a) the current scientific approaches to cancer and the immune system and (b) the indigenous Mayan concept of cancer. The project takes an epistemological perspective and provides a better understanding of various processes involved in different types of cancer treatments. This becomes possible by a transdisciplinary process that is organized and conducted by the Guatemala Maya Council of Elders, academic leaders from ETH Zurich, leading oncologists and scientists from Zurich University Hospital, Swiss TPH and other institutions. (For details on scientific board and research team see http://www.uns.ethz.ch/res/irl/macocc ) The two above theoretical reconstructions should serve to (i) identify commonalities and differences between the current scientific and the Mayan reconstruction of cancer processes, (ii) integrate, systematize and document the historically fragmented knowledge of Maya elders in both the mental-cognitive (spiritual) and physiological perspective, and (iii) design a potential field study to evaluate the effectiveness of Mayan cancer treatment in a long-term survey which is both meeting the criteria of medical evaluation studies and the Mayan perspective. A videoclip presenting the MACOCC project is available through the NSSIs webpage: http://www.uns.ethz.ch/res/irl/macocc If you have questions or comments, please write to monica.berger@env.ethz.ch Editorial Since the last newsletter, No. 3, some time has passed and some news and major changes regarding the project can be reported. After the resignation of RW Scholz as ETH Professor at the end of June 2012, and thus as a project co-leader and participant, a new organizational structure and financial base for the project had to be found not an easy task, which was connected with some uncertainty and turbulences both in Guatemala and in Switzerland. Some concessions in the project were unavoidable. The major cornerstones of the project, however, can be realized: the dissertations of Monica Berger and Martin Hitziger including associated field work can be carried out to end; the Mayan Healers visit in Zurich coming May, an important milestone of the transdisciplinary process, will become a reality; the book project, a documentation in Spanish resulting from 65 in-depth interviews on understanding, knowledge, and practice of the Mayan Healers on cancer will also be completed. This is made possible by the ETH School Board, which secures the mentioned parts of the project financially. This is a great relief for everyone involved and for us personally. We very much appreciate this decision, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Roman Boutellier, Vice President of ETH Zurich, as well as Katharina Hagenauer and Brigitte Schiesser, from ETH administration, for their generous support. The project will also scientifically refocus. We will, however, keep the basic transdisciplinary understanding implying that the Mayan culture and the science jointly take responsibility and have decision power. Through partnerships with other universities we can keep an association to research of relevant related topics. The lead of the scientific advisory board lies now in the hands of Profs. Christoph Renner and Jacob Zinsstag. The other members of the board still feel committed to the project under the new frame conditions. The organizational structure has been adjusted in the sense that Dr. Pius Krütli along with Dr. Barbara Becker from ETH Global, will be new co-leaders of the project. Monica Berger, as up to now, will manage the project in Guatemala. And, finally, the Swiss Embassy, in the name of Ambassador Thomas Kolly, sustains the patronage for the project. This all is good news, and we really feel much obliged to all who made this happen. Meanwhile, the Mayans are in a new calendar cycle, the Oxlajuj baktun (13 Baktun) has been completed. We are in a new year, 2013, and the project is in a new phase. Good omen for a revival after a difficult transformation period. Please read the latest newsletter focusing on the transdisciplinary exchange workshop of May 2012 held in Guatemala. Its new form may indicate a New Phase. Enjoy reading. Pius Krütli & Michael Stauffacher Co-heads a.i. of the Chair of NSSI Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Institute for Environmental Decisions
Macocc Maya and contemporary conceptions of cancer Scope of this newsletter This newsletter presents activities conducted in Guatemala and Switzerland during the months of May to December 2012. the second phase of the MACOCC project design aimed at producing a deeper transdisciplinary discussion between two epistemic systems, having completed the first phase of conducting 65 interviews among Maya healers. I. First intercultural transdisciplinary (Td) exchange workshop held in Guatemala, two science systems meet From the 6 th to the 12 th of May 2012, six European scientists* travelled to Guatemala to meet with the elders and medical practitioners of the Five Regional Maya Councils working in the MACOCC project. The kam al be (leaders) of the Kaqchikel, Kiche, Mam, Mopan and Q eqchi Councils greeted the scientists in Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), where the first intercultural transdisciplinary workshop was inaugurated. Swiss Ambassador Thomas Kolly and Dr. Cristina Zilbermann representing the Rectory of UVG, welcomed all participants. Knowledge exchange between Maya Councils and European guests through seminars during the first day of the workshop. The workshop started with a Maya opening prayer in the main auditorium of UVG. With the participation of Swiss Ambassador Thomas Kolly, academic authorities and peers of UVG, representatives of INCAN (Cancer Institute Guatemala) and local NGOs working on health topics, the European and Maya medical practitioners and scientists got a full and rich first encounter. Simeon Taquira, project co-leader from the Maya Council of Elders, explains the basic interests that make a foundation for the cooperation between Western Scientists and Maya Healers in the opening ceremony at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. The objective of the intercultural exchange was to expose European scientists to the experience of the Maya medical system, giving them an opportunity to ask questions and get a hands-on feeling for the type of practice present today in Maya communities. This is part of During the first day of the workshop representatives of European science (on photo: Prof. Christoph Renner of the oncology centre Hirslanden in Zurich) and of Maya science presented cases to explain the fundamentals of their epistemic systems regarding conception of cancer. *Visitors included Prof. Roland W. Scholz (ETH Zurich), Prof. Christoph Renner (OC Hirslanden), Prof. Heinrich Walt (USZ), Prof. Jakob Zinsstag (Swiss TPH), Dr. Bo Samuelsson and Dr. Ingrid Pramling (Sweden). From INCAN, Dr. Eduardo Gharzouzi and Dr. Rosada. Event organized and hosted by ETH PhD(c) Monica Berger-Gonzalez, Ana Vides and Simeon Taquira Sipac with help of partners from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala Andres Alvarez and Victor Juarez. 2
Newsletter 4, January 2013 Introductory activities included the presentation of the basic assumptions of the Maya medical practice by Simeón Taquirá and the five heads of the Maya Councils, and of the European Oncology practice by Prof. Christoph Renner. Initial discussions provided several important questions that were addressed by practical interaction later on in the week. Also, Mónica Berger González introduced the reciprocal emic-etic framework as a proposed tool for interaction and content analysis between the two medical systems. The remaining four days of the workshop were spent travelling to three different ethno-linguistic regions, where the scientists participated in ceremonies and observed Maya healing practices, medicinal plant gardens, talked with healers and their patients, and experienced the context of rural indigenous Guatemala. In the Kaqchikel region, Ajq ij (time keeper) and Ajq um (medical plant specialist) Luis Chuy showed the guests his medicinal plant garden, containing over 600 different species. He conducted a ceremony for a female patient, and the European team asked questions afterwards concerning the practice of Tata Luis. After visiting the central highlands, the MACOCC team travelled to the North deep into the Peten region, to visit Mopan and Q eqchi healers and their patients. By then it was evident that there were very important differences between the conception of the human system and the role of the medical specialist in the recuperation of health. Prof. Heinrich Walt, USZ, locates his candle offerings in the main altar prior to the Ceremony. Differing epistemics Exchange of experiential knowledge between participants after witnessing a healing ceremony for a female Kaqchikel patient. Crisantos Botzoc, a 70+ year-old Maya healer, addressed Prof. Renner during one of the exchanges in the Peten Jungle, by asking Doctor, how important is sexual abstinence in your medical practice?. Well, Prof. Renner replied, if a patient has advanced cervical cancer I would of course recommend abstinence. The elder looked perplexed and exclaimed, No, I don t mean for the patient, I mean for you as the healer, you as the intermediary for the patient to get back his health!. Obviously shocked, the Dr. clarified this was not relevant in the Western medical practice. After hearing this answer, Tata Crisantos turned to his Maya colleagues and in good Q eqchi told them No wonder they can t cure cancer, they don t understand the first thing about the basic system of the healer having an effect on the patient. With this concrete example in mind, it became more evident that attempting to bridge the Maya and the Western epistemic systems would be an enormous challenge, but also a most rewarding one. Day 4: Visit to one of the sacred Mopan Caves containing a healing altar to witness a ceremony of blessing patients. The week ended with visits to INCAN partners and discussions with the Maya Councils of the next steps for the project. In May 2013, Zurich will be host to a reciprocal intercultural exchange, where Maya elders will be exposed to the European healing system and will present the systematized results of the research within their Councils conducted so far. 3
Macocc Maya and contemporary conceptions of cancer Sitting in the shade in the Peten jungle, Q eqchi healers answer questions on diagnosis and treatment of diseases posed by the visiting scientists. Fieldworkers Isabel Alvestegui and Martin Hitziger with the family of Q eqchi council secretary Domingo Che. III. Notes from the field: advances in research The five Maya Councils participating in the MACOCC research project are now in the final phase of validation of all the data gathered from 2011 to 2012. The validation procedure includes a thorough linguistic analysis of the interviews by high elders to clarify and expand specialized medical and ritual vocabulary that might have been interpreted and translated erroneously in the first transcriptions and translations. The team visits the Cancer Institute (INCAN) in Guatemala City, hosted by Dr. Walter Guerra (director), Dr. Ghaurzouzi, Dr. Godoy and Dr. Estrada. II. Fieldwork in ethnobotany contracted, welcoming new PhDs and partners from science In the fall of 2013, Martin Hitziger, a PhD candidate from the Natural and Social Science Interface Chair (NSSI) at ETH Zurich, and Isabel Alvestegui-Müller, a PhD candidate from the ethno botany group at Zurich University, conducted a preliminary visit to Guatemala to get acquainted with local partners and members of the Maya councils. Martin and Isabel will conduct in-depth research on the ethno-botanic components of Maya medical therapy. As part of their supervising committee and new members to the MACOCC scientific advisory board, we welcome Dr. Caroline Weckerle (Zurich University) and Prof. Michael Heinrich (University of London). Simultaneously, each segment of the interview is analyzed per elder to make an emic (internal, Maya) appreciation of the quality and depth of the answers. This provides a comparative scale by which to determine the particular strength of each elder in his/her contribution to reconstructing Maya pure knowledge. This revision also serves to compare answers of all elders and build a synthesis per topic covered, which is then presented in a round table to the original 13 elders interviewed. This is done to determine whether the synthesis reflects well Maya medical knowledge and whether it approaches an ideal reconstruction that can be free of as many foreign elements as possible. From Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, we welcome Dr. Elfrede Pöll, head of the Botanic herbarium, who will participate in the identification of plant samples collected during fieldwork. Maya elders working in a round table. 4
Newsletter 4, January 2013 In fact, these round tables stimulate further discussions among healers, which has brought a richer content and interpretation of Maya knowledge. The overall objective of this process that has taken over 4 months is to reconstruct Maya medical knowledge in as much depth as possible by bringing together the expertise of all the healers interviewed along the countryside. One last workshop will encompass the final synthesis of the five Councils into a single synthesis, which is the basis for the presentation to be given in May 2013 in Zurich. IV. Intercultural celebration of Maya Long Count, 13 Baktun On December 12 2012, Mayan elders across Guatemala celebrated the end of an elaborate calendar count called by archaeologists The Long Count. According to Simeon Taquira, Maya co-leader for the project, it is important that our european partners understand our conception of time and life repeating itself in cycles, as this too is a basic component of our medical and healing system. Little will be understood about the relationship we see between healthy human life and its connection to cosmic cycles if there is no link made to our calendar rounds. Celebrations of the 13 Baktun held in Poptun, Peten, included workshops to explain the mathematical and cosmogonic conception of this cycle coming to a new beginning, that of a New Era of The Sun accounting for 5,126 years. A group of male and female Maya ajq ijab (time keepers/ priests) inaugurate the big community ceremony of the 13 Baktun by dancing to traditional Marimba music around the sacred fire and stella. Text: Monica Berger G. Photos: Monica Berger G., Karen Frazier Scott, Ana Vides, archive Macocc project Editorial: Pius Krütli and Michael Stauffacher Layout: Sandro Bösch 2013, ETH NSSI 5