Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer

loodcurdling cry, followed by the sounds of shattering glass and chairs
being thrashed.
They were horrified. They screamed for her to open the door, but she
didn’t respond. When her husband finally broke the door down with an ax,
the family rushed in to see that nearly all her belongings had been broken
and strewn about on the floor. Angelina was bleeding, tearing up the sheets,
and biting herself on the arms. It took six adult men to hold her down on the
bed and restrain her.
While her son relayed the gruesome details, she continued to drool and
rock back and forth on the stool. From time to time she opened her mouth
to try to speak, but the sounds that came out resembled the cries of a
wounded animal.
At one point, I thought I heard her mumble, “Help me, please,” as she
reached out for me, clutching my sleeve and twisting it with all that was left
of her ebbing strength.
I wanted to run, but I took a deep breath and let her hold me. A
disturbing cold chill traveled down my spine. The hair on my arms stood
straight up as if electrified.
I looked at Panti again. He was listening intently, tapping his lips with
the four fingers of his right hand as was his habit when listening to patients.
“A curandera came to see her the next morning. She said prayers for
her and gave her medicine to drink that calmed her down a bit. But within
the hour she was terrible again. The curandera stayed with her all night
long praying and giving her teas, but after five days she said she couldn’t
help anymore. She said my mother was possessed by an evil spirit that was
too powerful for her prayers and medicine.”
The curandera told them to take her to Don Elijio, who could not only
subdue the bad spirit but chase it out of her body.
“Don Elijio, my mother has not closed her eyes to sleep for fifteen days
now, nor has any food passed her lips. We fear she will die in this awful
state. We have faith in you. Please help her, señor,” said José, wiping tears
from his eyes and resting both his hands on his mother’s shoulders.
Panti stood up, and all eyes but Angelina’s followed his every move. He
motioned for me to go outside with him.
“Put some water on to boil immediately. Put Zorillo in there and get it
boiling good for ten minutes and bring me some hot coals in this can as