Return to the roots: CHamoru traditional healing finds a place in the modern world
- Admin
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Jayvee Vallejera and Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Traditional medicine—often the first, closest, most affordable, or only form of care for billions of people worldwide—is being brought into the 21st century through a World Health Organization initiative that recognizes that keeping people healthy is the core role of healthcare.
Guam is among the communities in the world that still practice traditional healing, using endemic plants.
“God gave us the land. God gave us the plants. We have to use them,” said Lourdes Toves Manglona, a traditional CHamoru healer and author of "Tinanom Åmot Siha: Plants Used in Traditional CHamoru Healing."
CHamoru traditional healing is a cultural practice that has been passed down through generations across the Mariana Islands.
Manglona, fondly known as “Mama Lou,” is among the few remaining bearers of CHamoru plant wisdom, which she inherited from her grandmother Ana Toves Manglona.
“Her teachings on traditional medicine and its practices shaped my understanding and appreciation of our heritage,” Lourdes Manglona said of her grandmother.
Mama Lou was a toddler when her grandmother introduced her to the cultural practice, taking her to the ranch and teaching her how to pound leaves and concoct medicine.
The renewed focus on CHamoru traditional healing coincides with the World Health Organization’s initiative to bring the ancient practice back into the 21st century.
In December 2025, the WHO gathered more than 800 people at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in New Delhi, India, for the Global Summit on Traditional Medicine.
Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, director of the Global Traditional Medicine Center, said traditional medicine is seeing a renaissance, with 170 of 194 countries reporting its use.
“With half the world's population lacking access to essential health services, traditional medicine is often the closest or only care available for many people,” Kuruvila said. “And for many others, it's a preferred choice because it is personalized and holistic.”
On Guam, Lourdes Manglona teaches “Traditional Healing Practices” at the University of Guam. “It's very important that we have to learn about how to use the plant to make a medicine and I'm teaching the right,” she said.
Manglona warned that some leaves or roots can be fatal when not properly prepared. “Learning how to use plants is the most important thing to do,” she said. Different types of plants have different nutrient needs. There are different preparations for different sicknesses.”
At a virtual press briefing preceding the WHO convention held Dec. 17 to 19 in India, Kuruvilla said there is also a wide and diverse group of people who provide traditional medicine services, from community-based healers to university-educated clinicians and researchers.
Several people still believe that traditional medicine supports overall well-being rather than treating only specific symptoms, Kuruvilla said.
“Global demand is rising due to chronic diseases, mental health needs, stress management, and the search for holistic, personalized, meaningful care,” Kuruvilla said.
The wellness economy linked to traditional medicine was valued at $5.6 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027, according to the WHO.
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For the 4.6 billion people lacking access to essential health services, safe and effective traditional medicine is vital for equity and universal health coverage, WHO said.
As part of efforts to bridge the gap between traditional and Western medicine, WHO officials said its strategy for integrating both is evidence-based, applying scientific principles and methods to ensure quality and safety.
Last year, WHO member states adopted the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 to 2034, which guides work on evidence, regulation, systems integration, and collaboration rooted in community engagement.
Kuruvilla said the WHO summit also focuses on sustainable sourcing, biodiversity preservation, equitable trade and benefit sharing. “And, importantly, respectful knowledge exchange, especially with indigenous people who safeguard much of the world's biodiversity,” she added.
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