International Volunteering projects atthe Mayan Medicine Museum

1. OMIECH & the museum2 First International volunteering workcamp5. Second International volunteering wokcamp4. Medium and long term perspectives5. How to help?6. Contact

IOMIECH &

The Museum

The OMIECH is a civil association that works with traditional midwifes and doctors. And a bilingual council that speaks the two major indigenous languages for the Chiapas Highlands Tsotsil and Tseltal.This association is dedicated to the rescue, training, promotion and servide in the Mayan medicine field. There are 6 major areas of work:• Women and midwifes.• Mayan Medicine Museum.• Communication.• Administration. • General Counseling.

The rescue of the traditional mayan medicine practices, their interelation with official medicine, the defence of women and midwifes rights and the link with other organizations, groups and independent doctors are fundamental for OMIECH.

OMIECH (Indigenous doctors from the State of Chiapas Organization)

Mayan Medicine Museum

The museum opened its doors on 1997. Since the beginning the main goal of this museum has been the promotion of Traditional Mayan Medicine among different sociocultural contexts.The museum organizes workshops for children, including kids from different cultures and backgrounds.The year the of its opening the museum created a medicinal plant garden in order to convert the place into an educational area.

Since the beginning of this year, the museum staff has been working on correcting the materials for children activities in order improve the guided visits to the museum.

IIFIRST INTERNATIONAL

VOLUNTEERING WORKCAMP

“MAYAN MEDICINE I”

First International Volunteering WorkcampMayan Medicine I

Signs for medicinal plants

Paths in the

garden

From march 27 to april 10, 2010 young mexican, german, canadian, belgian and french volunteers, along with the museum staff worked to improve and maintain the museum facilities.

The activities that took place during this workshop were:I. Cleaning the garden areas located between the museum and de pharmacy.II. Improving the paths in the garden.III. Preparing signs for all the medicinal plants located in the garden.IV. Cleaning the weeds in the medicinal garden.

Volunteers had an opportunity to share with the museum staff and withness some traditional rituals,

The results of this workcamp were very positive for Nataté and for the Museum. However this works are just the beginning of a series of needs that have to be taken care in the museum, that is why a second workcamp was organized for october.

IIISECOND INTERNATIONAL

VOLUNTEERING WORKCAMP

“MAYAN MEDICINE MUSEUM II”

For this second workcamp the participation of volunteers form different states in México, Germany, Spain, USA, France and Belguim is expected.

Second International Volunteering workcamp, “Mayan Medicine II”

The goals for this workcamp are:

I. Renewal of the exhibition temazcal. The thatched roof is in very bad state.

II. Build dry toilets with envriomental techniques.

III. Design and work on a museography project for the area dedicated to biopiracy. The museum has worked on research but the design and instalation of the area still needs to be done.

The idea is to create a pirate ship representing the biopiracy movments around the world.

IV. Help on the translation of informative and promotional material for the museum.

V. If there is enough time, design and prepare promotional material for the museum in various languages.

IVMEDIUM AND LONG TERM PERSPECTIVES

Medium and long term perspectives

Both Nataté and the Mayan Medicine Museum are strongly interested on continue working together for the improve-ment and manteinance of the museum facilities. However in order to continue this project it is necessary to have economical funds.

The medium and long term goals are:

-Repair the roof at the entrance of the museum.

- Being able to have a long term volunteering project at the museum. Volunteers involved in this program will col-laborate in the communication area and research for biopiracy and biodiversity. In the communication area it is neces-sary to work on the museums image, in order to create flyers, leaflets, magazines and videos. For the biodiversity area volunteers will help with the research and improvement of educational materials.

- Work on the editorial design for two magazines. At the moment and as part of the second workcamp, volunteers are working on the first magazine.

- Possibly work on a photographic exhibition to promote the midwifes rights and defen their labor.

VHow to help?

Both at Nataté and at the museum we are realy excited to achieve our short, medium and long term goals. We have united a group of people that believe in the potential of working together as a team. National an international volun-teers share their time and work; long distance volunteers help with the design and translation of materiales. Friends, family members and people we know help us by spreading information about this project.

However we still need a lot more in order to achieve our goals. If you have read this document and are interested on the project; if you believe in the rescue and diffusion of the traditional mayan medicine and you would like to collabo-rate to make this museum a better place, a quality educational place, there are many ways you can help us.

Volunteers working in this and future workcamps need material for the renovation and construction works at te museum. If you can contribute with some cash, any quantity will be great for the project. Otherwise you can help by donating materials or as a volunteer on the following workcamps.

Cash donations:The total budget for materiales needed for the temazcal and biopiracy exhibition room (printing, materials for the pirat ship, and maps) and for the construction of dry toilets is $40, 000 pesos.

If you know people, organizations, groups or anyone that could be interested on contributing with a donation, please show them this document or let us know so we can contact them.

Bank Account:Name :: NATATE VOLUNTARIADO INTERNACIONALBank :: BBVA BANCOMER SAAccount :: 0074 4439 79 0160838047SWIF :: BCMRMXMMPYMR.F.C. :: NVI060710IE8Branch :: 4439 - SAN CRISTOBAL OFNA PRINCIPAL

Materials needed:

- Fabric - Cardboard.- Glue.- Paint.-Brushes

- Grass for the thatched roof- Ink, or printing services- Wood-Paper

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We strongly appreciate your interest for this project, if you would like to receive more detalied information about the works, budget, or different ways of helping do not hestiate to contact us.

contact:Nataté Voluntariado Internacional A.C

Diego de Mazariegos #90Barrio la Merced, C.P 29240San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas,MéxicoTeléfono: +52 967 6316918www.natate.orgSkype: natate.mexicoEmails:General lnformation : natate@natate.orgWorkcamps: workcamps@natate.orgLong term volunteering: mltv@natate.org

Museo de la Medicina Maya

Avenida Salomón González Blanco No. 10, Colonia MorelosSan Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México.Télefono: +52 967 6784538