Way back before the advent of HMOs and over-the-counter cure-alls, the native peoples of Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory typically sought the services of a shaman when they needed to treat a toothache, infection, or bad case of indigestion.
The tribal shaman was considered a messenger between the human and spirit worlds and performed a variety of functions including healing.

In downtown Johannesburg, on a market strewn with the skins and ribs of pythons, elephants and other wild animals, exists a potion that could power players at the upcoming World Cup to run faster, kick harder and defend stronger - and it is made of squirrel fat.

Archaeologists have discovered the 3,300-year-old tomb of the ancient Egyptian capital's mayor, whose resting place had been lost under the desert sand since 19th century treasure hunters first carted off some of its decorative wall panels, officials announced Sunday.

Scientists say an Aboriginal rock art depiction of an extinct giant bird could be Australia's oldest painting.
The red ochre painting, which depicts two emu-like birds with their necks outstretched, could date back to the earliest days of settlement on the continent.

When Sgt. Michael Rude went to Afghanistan, he took his people's traditions with him.

Just before he deployed, his father gave him an eagle feather for guidance and bundles of sweetgrass, an aromatic herb burned during ceremonies.

"I smudged that around our vehicles sometimes, when I had a bad feeling," said the member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 3rd Battalion. "Our crew wasn't ever hit, put it that way."

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Sweat+lodge+base+promotes+healing/3085737/story.html#ixzz0pNdpqeiQ