TULSA, Okla. – Before Europeans invaded what they called the New World with an increasingly technological concept of what is now known as Westernized medicine,
Indigenous peoples of the Americas had everything needed to heal themselves in the way of medicinal plants and herbs, diet, diverse rituals and body work. But, as American Indians became more assimilated, some began to view natural forms of healing as simple, heathen and even as witchcraft. In the Tulsa area, one Kiowa-Cherokee woman is working to change that perception.
While Jamie Anquoe Whartenby was struggling through college in the 1980s, she found herself unsatisfied, out of work and on academic suspension. A friend suggested Whartenby join her at the Peace of Mind Bookstore, also home to Aquarian Age, a therapeutic massage center in Tulsa’s Cherry Street District.
“I thought I was going to sell books but they threw me in the back doing massage. I knew when I started, it was what I wanted to do. I loved it.”
Whartenby worked part-time and continued her higher education between Tulsa Community College and Oklahoma City University where she finally obtained that marketing degree. But, she loved her work in the many forms of therapeutic massage.
She was working in Tulsa at a healing arts center called The Path when she met Jeff Nicholson, who taught acupuncture at his Gigage Anagalisgi University healing arts institution in Tahlequah, said Whartenby. Nicholson, having lived in the capital of Cherokee Country for many years, was interested in teaching American Indians. They had a discussion about the possibility of her attending Nicholson’s school. He knew Whartenby’s older brother Kelly Anquoe and encouraged her to apply.
But not all the people close to Whartenby understood what she was doing. Some family members mistakenly thought she might be doing witchcraft or erotic massage which, even still occasionally, is disguised as legitimate therapeutic practice.
“A lot of places back in the 80s were covers for prostitution. It’s so unfortunate that it’s misunderstood as prostitution or witchcraft. I had to let that go and understand that people are ignorant about it. Healing arts was what I felt like I was supposed to do. So I just moved forward.”
Whartenby said it took her two years to finish and it is still her passion.
After seeing many practitioners working out of their homes and making house calls to clients, Whartenby decided to do the same. With her degree in marketing, she had the knowledge to start a business, but still was overwhelmed. In the end, it was the right thing to do.
”It was scary starting a business out of your house. But I think I had five clients willing to come in and I grew from those five.’
Some family members began to come to a basic understanding of her work and some got behind her to lend financial support to get the business off the ground. She got a Web site where she still can be found at whartenby.com. Also, while at The Path, she reconnected with a former coworker from Aquarian Age who became her husband and they have raised three sons.
Acupuncture, therapeutic massage, herbal medicine, and body work are all diversified forms of what is widely referred to as traditional Chinese medicine. But all societies have always had their own forms of traditional healing arts that have survived to varying degrees despite “Westernization,” or what is becoming known as globalization. And in the world of instant everything, people want an instant cure.
“Everybody wants to go to somebody and say, ‘Here, fix me.’ What they don’t understand is, it doesn’t work like that; they fix themselves. That’s what acupuncture is -- it stimulates the body to heal itself. We’ve already got everything in us we need: natural pain killers, natural amphetamines, serotonin. What we need is food, water and air. But, it’s a process, people aren’t going to change overnight. ”
Though she learned herbal medicine at Nicholson’s school she prefers to work with her clients’ dietary practices instead.
“I don’t do herbs…most people would rather take western medicine anyway and both can work together. I like to work with food as medicine. I won’t put them on a diet but I review with them what they are consuming in the way of food and drink. I’m just trying to get them to think of food as medicine.”
There are different kinds of acupuncture Whartenby said but she doesn’t specialize in any one area of illness or treatment.
“I take what I’m given. I do best with what walks in the door. If someone comes to me, I try to help them, or try to help them help themselves.”
Her treatment depends on the client and their condition, age, comfort level and other factors. She won’t use needles on babies or fragile clients. She utilizes a combination of hand work, like massage, pressure point work, and she especially likes a form of acupuncture called moxibustion, which uses heat, for clients with a weak constitution or tight muscles with spasms. She also prefers electro-stimulation for all kinds of headaches, pain, and numbness, which she said resets the body’s energy.
She said she has a few American Indian clients and knows more would utilize traditional healing arts if they knew more about them. When American Indians learn what she does, they begin to ask questions and then relate it to traditional medicinal practices of their ancestors. Some are apprehensive about the use of needles which are inserted into the skin. She said all needles come pre-sterilized and are disposed of as medical waste.
Coming from a traditional Kiowa family prominent in the powwow culture, Whartenby thinks the use of natural healing arts is perfect even within rituals that require endurance or stamina and would like for more Natives to at least consider them.
Even though she said she won’t become wealthy, the healing arts have been very good to her and for her.
“No matter what’s going on in your personal life it has to stop so you can take care of them (clients). It’s almost like being a social worker at times. It’s all about making people comfortable so they can heal. You’re not going to get rich. But it’s satisfying and enriching on a deeper level. Every client is my teacher I learn from every one. It’s helped me learn how to cope with anything.”