Healers or Killers – You Decide
Every time I go to the market in Madang I’m incensed by the peddlers of quack “medicines” that lurk in wait for ignorant people to buy their poison. Yeah, sure, I know most of what they sell isn’t really poison, but if it kills people, what’s the difference?
Click on the image to see the list of miracle cures this man’s product will deliver:
The ones that inflame me most are TB, Malaria, and “sexual transmited disease” [sic], which, presumably includes HIV/AIDS. Now, if you think that this guy can cure these things with his potions, then move along, there’s nothing to see here.
However, if you, like me believe that he has probably killed people (for profit; unwittingly or not) by keeping them from proper medical care (as if such a thing exists in Madang), then shouldn’t we be calling the cops? I’ve harassed these quacks many times, until I’m a little worried about retribution. Today, however, I caught a guy selling what were obviously prescription drugs from unmarked plastic bags. He did not know what they were. “Good medicine” was all I could get out of him. He would not say where he got them, but I’d bet he has a buddy at the Madang General Hospital. I told him that he had better move on, because I was coming back to take his picture and give it to the cops.
I wish I had someone to stand with me against these people, because some of them just might be dangerous. Nevertheless, I’m fairly dangerous myself, so if I don’t get any help, you’re still going to be seeing more pictures of them.
Okay, enough of that. How about some aubergine? The lowly eggplant is indigestible for me. That’s not entirely true. I’m not sure that any has actually hit my stomach yet, since I can’t choke it down. Nevertheless, these non-tasty purple billy clubs caught my eye this morning:
Or maybe a bit more colour is in order. I like this shot of the bright yarn with the seller’s shadow falling across it:
By the way, I bought some corn.
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- Back to the Market When I travel back to North America one of the most common questions I hear is, “What do you eat in Papua New Guinea.” That’s when it’s nice to have photos of the market. I enjoy going to the market. Sometimes I actually buy things. Usually, however, it’s to see...
Dude that makes me mad… It’s not like there’s not enough ignorance in the world out there. The thought that people might be buying this stuff then going home and contracting or spreading HIV/AIDS further… this guy and his buddies should be in jail, no question in my mind.
And yeah, be careful… you know better than I do the risks that if you really tick someone off you’ll have to deal with wontoks bearing bushknives.
And… I kinda miss Madang market… can’t beat those fresh veggies…
[...] I went quack hunting again at the market. I couldn’t find anybody selling treated mosquito nets, though I searched the [...]
Tris, you’re kind to offer them jail time. The more worldly and cynical of us might be thinking more in the line of cement footware. Nobody is scared of jail – not really. It’s the idea of quietly disappearing that raises the goose flesh. Time for the spooks to come out!
Having taught for 10 years in PNG in the 60s,70s I am not surprised that people believe in such stuff. In the ‘western world’; in places such as Australia, people who are desperate believe in miracle cures for cancer etc.
Excellent blog!
Kevin
Kevin, I checked your journal and found some tasty items there also. I’ll bookmark it.
I can understand when people have trudged their desperate path through every standard medical treatment and found only failure. I remember nearly thirty years ago when Steve McQueen was making news by hustling off to Mexico for treatment with Laetrile. Desperation is one thing. The problem here, as you know, is that the average person has not the education to discern whether the claims of the quacks are true or not. Couple this with a belief system which allows for just about anything to be possible and you have a formula for disaster.
A little knowledge can sometimes be a dangerous thing also. Look at how the western world has fallen victim to such quackery as homoeopathy, chiropractic, etc. We’re not immune – not by a long shot.
Thanks for reading,
MadDog
Dok Nogut,
Sori tru long ol manmeri, yangpela, pikinini, na bebi long Madang ol i kisim taim nogut long ol dispela giaman man ol i wok long salim ol dispela marisin long ol.
Gutpela long yu wok long tokpait wantaim ol na kisim piksa bilong ol na givim long ol polis.
Taim bilong mi i pinis nau olsem na mi mas tat ta long yu.
Kela
Kela, tenkyu tru long tokaut long dispela tok save. Mi kros nogut tru long ol dispela giaman i bin bagarapim planti husat i gat sik.
Mi lap inap long krai long dispela nem “Dok Nogut”. Tenkyu long dispela niupela nem bilong mi.
DokNogut
DokNogut,
Em nau!!
Kela