Temaskali: The house of heat

Abstract

The practice of temaskali has been historically associated with the pre-Columbian peoples of America, however there are those who claim that its origin is in prehistory and even more so, in Finland and Iceland. For centuries temaskali has been known as a therapeutic practice associated with women and their suffering during childbirth, but this situation is maximized to the spiritual aspect thanks to the worldview of the ancient American peoples. Today and given the precarious conditions of public health, human beings seek alternatives that improve our quality of life and many of us have opted for the traditional medicinal practices of ancestral peoples, temaskali is one of those practices that we nevertheless ignore much about. Unfortunately there are very few historical records about the practice of temaskali, but the interest of the human being for its roots and the perseverance of many indigenous and non-indigenous grandparents have brought to us this historical, cultural and health legacy that increasingly captivates more people because the results generated are unquestionable and verifiable. An intense search for bibliographical material and a 7-year experience within the tradition of Mexicanness, as well as countless talks and meetings with different bearers of ancient knowledge are the main support of this small article, the product of research on the oral culture of some indigenous sages, practitioners of alternative medicine, traditional therapists and the ways of life of some pre-Hispanic dance groups, as well as the conscientious study of researchers dedicated to the dissemination of ancestral medical practices.