HEALING WITH CHARMS AMONG THE POLES IN MISIONES, ARGENTINA (Leczenie zamawianiem wsród Polaków z Misiones w Argentynie)

This paper presents the ethnographic field data analysis concerning faith healing among Polish immigrants and their descendants. The research was carried out among the inhabitants of two settlements, located in the proximity of the triple frontier of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay in the province of Misiones, Argentina. The ailments described here are the so called 'folk illnesses': 'evil eye', empacho, rendidura and kamburu-yeré, of which only the fi rst one had been known to Polish immigrants from the native country. They familiarised themselves with the other illnesses during the prolonged coexistence and the cultural exchange with other ethnic and national groups, mainly with the Paraguayan Mestizos. Among the informants, fourteen persons cure one or more folk illnesses with charms. Most of the informants, however, confine this activity to the household and only three persons dedicate themselves to the local community. This paper attempts to provide some explanations for this matter.