A series of free traditional health fairs, ferias de salud, will once again be held in conjunction with the annual Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico class this month. The health fairs run Saturday-Wednesday, July 19-23 (with the exception of Monday, July 21), and are being held at various times and locations throughout New Mexico.

Sponsored by the UNM Women’s Resource Center, the National Hispanic Cultural Center and Tonantzin Traditional Healing, the health fairs will feature more than 30 well-known traditional healers/curanderos from the Mexico City area, including the communities of Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, Oaxaca, and Amatlan, as well as local healers from around New Mexico.  

This year’s fairs will also have a well-known healer from Control, Tamualipas, Mexico, and Espinazo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, named Crescencio Alvarado Nunez, also known as “Chenchito” in attendance. Now upwards of 80 years old, Chenchito is one of the oldest living healers who was a child when the famous Nino Fidencio or “El Nino” was alive and performing his healings. Chenchito’s mother served as an assistant to El Nino before his death in 1938. The Fidencista Movement, made up of those who follow the teaching of El Nino is still operating today and Chenchito has been active in this movement for many years. Chenchito will also be honored during the Curanderismo class giving registered students the opportunity to hear him speak and ask questions.  

The health fairs will be held at three different locations. Specific dates and locations for each one are below:

Saturday & Sunday, July 19-20
Rancho de los Golandrinas
334 Los Pinos Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87507
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, July 22
University of New Mexico, outside of the Student Union Building (SUB) north entrance
12 to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 23
National Hispanic Cultural Center
1701 4th Street NW
Albuquerque
3 to 8 p.m.

The 14th annual Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico class will run Monday-Friday, July 14-25, on the UNM main campus from 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. for the duration of the two weeks. Registration for the class is available through the UNM registrar’s office for credit, or through Continuing Education for non-credit or CEU’s. 

Additionally, for the first time this spring, the popular summer class was also offered as an online credit class through UNM, and will be offered online for credit again in the fall of 2014. The class will also be taught as a free non-credit 8-week abbreviated material, Massive Open Online Class (MOOC) through Coursera beginning on Aug. 18, 2014. Registration for both online options is open now. 

For more information on the health fairs or any of the offerings of the Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico class, visit the Curanderismo class website or Facebook page.