Traiteur: A Cajun Healer
The word Cajun comes from an ethnic group of people that have grown up in Southern Louisiana or the French speaking Acadiana area, as it is sometimes known. A Cajun tradition that has been passed down through the ages is the Traiteurs, sometimes spelled Treateur.
These faith healers have existed since the 1700s when the Acadians migrated to south Louisiana from France. But the tradition of the Traiteurs is slowly dying out, as it is not as prevalent as it once was. Some of the Traiteurs that I know incorporate other types of energy based modalities such as Healing Touch and Reiki. The Cajun healer is thought to be able to “treat” certain ailments. Most have their own specialty that was handed down to them usually from a relative. Some of their specialties include warts, shingles, sunstroke, bleeding, earaches and toothaches.
As a small girl I remembered my Mom bringing me to an elderly lady that “treated” me for warts that I had on my hand. The warts went away, but I’m not sure of the time involved. When my son was in college he started having numerous warts on his hands around the cuticles and on the calf of one leg. After a visit to a dermatologist who told us that burning the warts would ruin his cuticles and the warts would probably come back, I called a lady who was a Traiteur.
The only information that I gave her was his name and the nature of the problem, She said to call back in a couple of weeks if the warts were still there. I called back as we did not notice a difference. Again, she said to call back in a couple of weeks. Shortly after, my son looked at his leg and realized that the warts were gone. There were no signs of warts on his hand as well. I had a similar situation with a case of shingles that I had. After being treated 3 times, there were no signs of shingles.
The older traditional Traiteurs usually spoke Cajun French. Their methods of treatments were “passed” down to other generations, usually from the opposite gender. But this also varied. Because the methods were usually passed down orally, their traditions varied by region and in the methods that they were taught. I remember my great aunt trying to give me the prayers that she used to treat sunstroke. But she said the prayers in French and I did not speak French, so I was not able to learn these. Years later, I wished that I had paid more attention to what she was trying to teach me.
The traditional Traiteurs were mostly Catholic and so they said prayers, usually in silence. Sometimes Novenas were said (saying a set of prayers for 9 days). Faith is the main element and some Traiteurs are essentially "praying" for the sick. Some may call their method of treatment faith healing or ''laying on of hands.''
From my experience as an energy healer, I understand now that they are balancing the energy fields that surround the body as they use their hands in a pattern around the body, usually doing this 3 times. In addition, their intention of wanting the person to be healthy is part of their philosophy. They also felt that it was necessary for the person to "ask" to be healed...they would not offer.
Because doctors were not that accessible in bayou and marsh areas of rural parts of South La. nor could most people afford to go to a physician, the Traiteurs in the past played an important part in health care. A friend remembered her grandmother's life a traiteur. There would often be lines of people waiting with eggs or chickens as payment. Other family members remember the family traiteur as being willingly confined to their house as there were many people depending on them.
Most Traiteurs consider their healing abilities a gift from God, and therefore do not ask for payment in exchange for their services. Although it is acceptable to leave a gift for receiving a treatment, gifts are never required. The older generation of Traiteurs used to tell you not to say “thank you” as it was thought that this would make the treatment not work.
In Southern Louisiana, traditional medicine and Traiteurs offer patients a range of resources for treating illness. Although these 2 methods are very distinct, Traiteurs and their patients do not view the two systems as conflicting.
Complied by Sue Heldenbrand
Certified Healing Touch Practitioner
Reiki Master
337 232-4799
Synergistic Healing
