Servindi, December 29, 2010 - Equipped with the latest medical technology, a hospital that combines modern medical techniques with ancient indigenous traditions was opened in the United States.
Its architects thought that most patients would recover more quickly in an environment where their cultural and spiritual beliefs were accommodated.
"Although our treatments are based on conventional medicine, there are still folks who believe that healing is not just for your physical body... it's for your spirit as well," said Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation.
The hospital was built in the town of Ada, Oklahoma, on the land, where the Chickasaw tribe currently lives.
The center includes a dental clinic, an emergency department, 72 beds, a diabetes care center, a diagnostic imaging center, among others.
It also has large windows in patient rooms that eliminate the need for artificial light on sunny days and provide patients with soothing views of the 93 hectares of green fields.
"The setting is very peaceful. We have patients requesting to stay another day; that did not happen before," said Judy Parker, the hospital's administrator.
Built on the site where there once was an old hospital, the center is open to all tribes and was designed to accommodate other practices and traditions.
Investment of US$ 145 Million
Ties to nature and family run deep in the Chickasaw Nation. This hospital includes an outdoor area for healing ceremonies, which many people can attend.
The center was built with funding from casinos in the area and businesses especially engaged in the manufacture of chocolate, which contributed approximately US$ 145 million.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs will be in charge of paying the medical and administrative staff.
The Chickasaw culture is present everywhere: the floors and ceilings feature diamond shapes, and a pearl necklace is displayed in the hospital's lobby. The entryways are lined with canopies, while limestone and local copper panels remind you of their connection to the earth.
The walls are adorned with Chickasaw art. Paintings of Chickasaw elders by renowned tribal artist Mike Larsen are displayed in the walkway leading to the surgical waiting area. One of the paintings is of Pearl Carter Scott, who became the country's youngest licensed pilot at the age of 13 in 1928.
"So many of the people who come through here know these people," said Debbie Jackson, Chickasaw Director of Customer Relations. "These traditional works of art create a feeling of well-being."
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Traducción de Sylvia Fisher para Servindi