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Della Keats 'Healing Hands': Carrying on a healthy tradition

Published on November 16th, 2009

By VICTORIA BARBER

When Christian Tigluk Stein Sr. bumps into people he's often greeted with a big hug, one of the perks from his work as a tribal doctor.

"When you are helping save people lives, there's not a better feeling in any kind of job," said Stein, who last month received the "Della Keats - Healing Hands" President's Award at the 2009 Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention in Anchorage.

Stein has been a tribal doctor for over 20 years. He began studying the practice in 1986 after Della Keats, one of the founders of the traditional medicine program at Maniilaq, treated his wife. Keats taught Stein about the stomach and digestive system, and, over the next six years, Stein sought out elders who could teach him about different aspects of healing the body. Studying under his uncle Charlie Jones, Stein learned about infections, blood work and the nervous system. From Andrew Skin he learned about arthritis. Truman Cleveland taught Stein how to work with bones, treat dislocations and how to perform kapi, or "the Eskimo poke" - a Native form of acupuncture where a homemade "poke" is used release and reduce inflammation and swelling.

Stein said that for about six years he did nothing but train, traveling with his teachers throughout the region.

"I was pretty lucky that I was able to work (with) all those elders," Stein said. "A lot of elders that know this we don't have anymore."

Today, Stein oversees the entire Maniilaq Tribal Doctor Program. A resident of Kiana, Stein travels to all the Maniilaq villages at least three times a year. Maniilaq also flies Stein, along with the tribal doctors, to treat people at the AFN convention every year. Using his hands to examine patients, Stein is often the first to detect the polyps and lumps of cancer, symptoms so early that they would not be detected by an X-ray. When he refers patients to a doctor, they can often catch the disease before it begins its deadly spread to the rest of the body.

Stein's dream is to pass along his skills in traditional medicine to a new generation, a dream he says will come true this fall with a new program in traditional medicine at Ilisagvik College in Barrow. Over four years Stein will teach students how examine and treat the nervous system, muscle system, tendons and bones, dislocations, bloodletting and how to perform kapi. Students will learn the same way that Stein did, not from textbooks but from watching and doing.

Stein said he's noticed a surge of interest and support for traditional medicine. He'd like to eventually see a tribal doctor in every village.

"I need to pass it on before I get old," Stein said. "If that could happen I think you watch Della, Charlie, their dreams come true too - because it's their dream I carry on as well."