Two systems, one community
A person on an Apache reservation today who is unwell might go to a clinic, visit a traditional healer, do both, or do neither. For many families, there is no contradiction. This article explains in general terms how traditional healing and clinical medicine can sit alongside each other, and it does not give medical advice. Any health concern should be discussed with a qualified clinician.
It also bears repeating that Apache nations are different from one another, and that individual people hold different beliefs. Some Apache people rely mainly on traditional healing, some mainly on clinical care, and many on a mix. Others follow Christian or other faiths and do not use traditional healers at all. None of these choices is more authentic than another.
How clinical care is organised
Most Native communities in the United States receive health care through some combination of federal and tribal systems. The federal Indian Health Service, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services, provides care to members of federally recognised tribes, and many tribes also run their own clinics and hospitals under agreements that allow them to manage programs previously run by the federal government. This arrangement grew out of treaty-era and later federal commitments, which underlie today’s federal health care obligations, and out of laws that increased tribal control, such as the Indian Self-Determination Act.
The details differ by nation. Some communities have a hospital on the reservation, some have clinics, and some rely on nearby towns. Services, staffing and funding vary and change, so readers should look at the official website of the relevant tribe or the Indian Health Service for current information. The Indian Health Service Apache communities rely on is one part of a larger system.
Many communities face real access challenges, such as distance, limited funding, staff shortages and the effects of historical disadvantage. Describing these in detail would require current data, which this article does not provide.
Where traditional healing fits
Traditional healing among Apache peoples historically included knowledge of plants, practical care and, for specialists, ceremonies and prayer. Healing was understood in a way that often involved family, community and spiritual wellbeing together, not only the body. Traditional Apache medicine, including the use of Apache medicinal plants, is described in the records mainly in general terms.
Today, a person may seek a traditional healer for reasons that clinics do not address, or alongside treatment from a doctor. What happens in those encounters is private. Healers may expect gifts or payment according to local custom, and arrangements are between the people involved.
Working together
Health systems that serve Native communities have, in many places, tried to make room for traditional practices. In general terms, this can take several forms:
- Clinic staff who ask patients about traditional care and respect their choices.
- Policies that allow family members or healers to visit patients, where facilities permit.
- Community health workers who come from the community and speak the language.
- Cultural awareness training for non-Native staff.
The degree to which any of these exist differs between facilities, and this article does not claim that any specific clinic does them. Patients can ask their own clinic what it offers.
Safety when combining approaches
It is generally sensible for anyone using both traditional remedies and prescribed medicine to tell their clinician, since plants and other preparations can interact with medicines, and some can be harmful in certain conditions or at certain doses. A good clinician will usually take such disclosure seriously. Equally, someone seeing a healer might be asked about their clinical treatments.
Emergencies, serious infections, chronic conditions such as diabetes, and pregnancy are examples of situations where prompt clinical care matters. This article is not a guide to deciding between approaches and should not be used as one.
History that shapes trust
The relationship between Native communities and government health services has a history. Historic mistrust arose from policies of forced assimilation, from boarding schools where children were separated from their families and sometimes suffered illness and neglect, and from broken promises. Reservation conditions after the 1870s affected health in many ways, a subject usually framed as Apache health after reservations. Some communities describe this history as one reason why culturally respectful care matters.
At the same time, many Apache people work in health professions, and the topic of Apache health professionals shows how communities build their own capacity.
Finding current information
Because services change, the safest approach is to consult the websites and offices of the nations themselves and the Indian Health Service. Avoid commercial products or workshops claiming to teach “Apache medicine,” which often have no connection to Apache communities.