Author: Alec Sonnier

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13:

The purpose of this case study is to understand and explore the Cajun folk healing knowledge of the traiteur that has been passed down for generations within families from southern Louisiana. The Cajun traiteur is a faith healer in the Acadiana parishes of Louisiana, and traiteur is the Cajun French word for treater. The participants comprised my extended family in southern Louisiana, associates of this extended family, and included traiteurs and their patients. Thirteen traiteurs and thirty-one patients were interviewed on the topics of treatment, how the healing tradition is passed down, and modern world effects on the Cajun traiteur. A multigenerational interviewing technique was used that had three generations of interviewers. This collaborative family-based research mode of ethnographic data collection was crucial for the study to assure cooperation of the participants, allowing differing generational perspectives and acceptance of the process by the participants. The interviews were recorded, transcribed collaboratively, and qualitative data was collected employing person-centered ethnography methods and grounded theory data collection and analyzation techniques. Results reveal that the participants believe that the healing ability of the traiteur is a "Gift from God". Prayer is used in all treatments, and all traiteurs use laying on of hands for some treatments. Treatments and prayers are performed in threes or multiples of threes, and no compensation is asked for by the traiteur. The traiteur healing prayers and treatments are transmitted to the next generation by the following methods: the traditional method from older male to younger female or older female to younger male, within families regardless of gender, passing it to anyone whom the traiteur senses has the gift of healing, or transmission by association with traiteurs. Participants state that the following modern world effects have caused the traiteurs' decline: lack of belief in traiteur faith healing, increased use of technology, easily accessible modern medical care, lack of knowledge of the traiteur tradition, and difficulty in finding a successor. Though in decline, there have been recent attempts to increase the awareness of the Cajun traiteur faith healing tradition which is an important cultural heritage that must be preserved.