The Return of the Mogotes Medicine Man
28 Jun
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The first visit to the Mogotes Medicine Man, Ostokio, didn’t do the trick. (If you didn’t read that post, it involved him blowing into an empty water bottle.) Wilfredo’s ribs still hurt many weeks later after being pummeled in the ribs during a soccer match and he refuses to see a regular doctor. This time Ostokio came to us. With another plan. It’s called ventosa. It involves fire.
The entire family gathered around Wilfredo’s bed where Ostokio instructed him to lay on his side. (Everything in Colombia is a family affair.) He had the tools he needed at hand – a little candle, matches, a drinking glass and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. They lit the match.
First, he balanced the candle on Wilfredo’s ribs. When this was accomplished (most likely with dripped wax), Ostokio poured a small amount of alcohol into the glass and in one swift motion, tipped it upsidedown over the flame and pressed it into Wilfredo’s skin, putting out the fire by cutting off the oxygen supply.
And then, like nothing I’ve ever see, the skin turned bright red and made a balloon inside of the glass. When the air cools, it creates a vacuum that has an acupressure effect, sucking in the skin.
Pain washed over Wilfredo’s face and Ostokio mercilessly pressed down on the glass and twisted and twisted in circles. He waited and repeated the twisting and finally, after about 10 minutes when I could barely watch anymore, he decided it was time to lift the glass.
He threw a shirt over Wilfredo to catch the remaining alcohol that dripped down and removed the glass to reveal a bright red circle that has now turned into a giant bruise.
Instructions – keep warm because the area will be very sensitive to the cold.
Is Wilfredo feeling any better this time? He says so, other than the pain of the bruise. But I guess only time will tell if the Medicine Man has worked his magic…
To consider for the comments:
If you messed up your ribs on your travels and your only option was to go see a local medicine man to make it better, would you dare?
People used to do that shit in the 18th century. Didn’t work then. Tell him to stop being an idiot and see a doctor. If his ribs still hurt he could have seriously injured himself
They still do it in clinics today although with better technology than a drinking glass and a candle. I’ve tried to convince him to go to the doctor but that’s not happening…
Stephanie Sadler, gracias por dar a conocer neutras colombianas tradiciones a todo el mundo..!!!
para que la gente ya no tenga miedo de visitarnos..!!