Belize, the Panti Maya Medicine Trail
Ix Chel was established in 1983, the first major step was to clear the high bush in the area. It was founded with a desire to serve those interested in learning more about Belizean crops and their role in healing and tradition. The entire farm is a science center that is self-sufficient in terms of food, medicine and the conversion of solar energy.
The Mayan Indians were very knowledgeable about the healing abilities of plants and herbs. One of the last remaining medicine men, or H’men, was Don Eligio Panti of San Antonio, Cayo District.
H’man is an ancient Mayan term used to denote someone who is both a doctor and a priest. The medicine men had a major impact on the lives of the Mayan Indians.
The Mayan herbalist is adept at combining medicine and religion according to ancient healing traditions. The procedures all contained nine different medicine sheets. Nine is an extremely important number in Mayan civilization as there are nine Mayan spirits who watch over the entire Mayan empire, there are nine lords of the underworld, nine levels of the underworld, and most ancient Mayan temples had nine Levels with nine stages nine times each, the rituals are repeated.
The Ix Chel Medicine Farm was mainly developed by Dr. Rosita Arvigo after being Don Eligo Panti’s apprentice for several years. She wanted to learn from his knowledge in order to preserve the tradition of ancient medicines and the Mayan medical system, in which the physical and supernatural worlds were mixed to create a so-called medico-religious system before it was lost to the world.
Twenty-five percent of the world’s commercially available medicines are derived from plant chemicals found only in tropical regions. In the future, research could reveal cures for cancer, high blood pressure, and many other diseases.
dr Rosita says, “They are participating in the National Cancer Institute’s program to scour the tropical world in search of medicinal plants that can be tested against a hundred types of cancer cells and three AIDS viruses. Through holistic medicine, emphasizing manipulation, herbal remedies and diet therapy, and Back Flower remedies, Dr. Rosita Arvigo and her collaborators to continue their work finding cures for many diseases that affect modern man.”
Thanks to Gary Wonning
