White, Grey and Black Kallawaya Healing Rituals

One of the central characteristics of the Kallawaya culture is the richest tradition of ritual healings applied by the male and female ritual Kallawaya healers. There are very different modes of significance and meaning of the white (positive aim), black (negative aim) and grey (purification aim) rituals. In detail are presented the rituals of ?banishment of grief?, of rituals of ?calling the soul? and the rituals of healing the patients? hostility problems. The healing rituals are deeply embedded in the Andean religion of Pachamama (Mother Earth), the holy mountains (Akhamani, Sillaka, Atichamán…), the ancestry, the owners and residents of the holy mountains, the forefathers in the graves. Complex ritual action, intense communication between healer and patient, manifold multiple prayers of the healer are the central expressions of these rich traditional healing rituals. It is also discussed the efficacy of the Kallawaya healings. Kallawaya concepts of health and illness, well?being and hostility are systematically compared with western concepts and research.<br/>This Andean Kallawaya research is based on detailed visual and tape recorded documentation by the author of more than 200 rituals, long detailed apprenticeships from Kallawaya medicine men and almost 900 informative discussions and interviews with the Kallawaya ritualists.