PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian
DR. CAROLANN NAJARIAN TO SPEAK AT NAASR ON ARMENIAN FOLK MEDICINE
Dr. Carolann Najarian of Lincoln, Mass., will speak at the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center in
Belmont, Mass., on Thursday evening, September 22, at 8 p.m., on
“Healers, Holy Books, Mountains, and Gardens: Armenian Folk Medical
Beliefs and Practices.” The lecture will be cosponsored by NAASR and
the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA).
Every culture has a belief system regarding healthcare, and,
notwithstanding the variations within the society, Armenians are no
different. Many of the belief systems that affect the practice of
healthcare in Armenia today are also familiar to diaspora Armenians.
Others may not be as familiar as they come from the Soviet Armenian
experience.
Modern Practices Rooted in Tradition
Armenian society today is undergoing tremendous upheaval and
change that challenge long held values. How are these changes affecting
healthcare and its practice given the traditional beliefs of Armenians?
One of the answers is that people are returning to traditional forms of
healthcare as a way of coping with uncertainty. Many of these practices
are rooted in Armenian traditional medicine – which is a product of
Armenia’s history and location and is supported by aspects of what we
might call its “national character.”
Dr. Carolann Najarian, stepping out of her role as a medical
doctor, has sought to understand this phenomenon through the eyes of a
medical anthropologist. (Medical anthropology is the study of healthcare
beliefs and practices.) She will present her findings and illustrate
them with the many stories she has heard – some of miraculous cures, all
of Armenians struggling to survive despite the uncertainty of their
lives today. Members of the audience will likely recall stories of what
their own parents and/or grandparents believed and what they did.
Dr. Najarian is the founder and president of the Armenian
Health Alliance, and her work in Armenia and Karabagh has brought her
numerous honors. A graduate of the Boston University School of
Medicine, she has been a practicing internist in the Cambridge-Watertown
area and an instructor in clinical medicine at the Harvard Medical
School. In 2004 she completed a Masters Degree in Medical Anthropology
with a thesis on Armenian folk medical practices.
Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR
Bookstore will open at 7:30 p.m. The NAASR Center and Headquarters is
located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post
Office. Ample parking is available around the building and in adjacent
areas. The lecture will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m.
More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610,
faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395
Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.
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Belmont, Mass.
August 22, 2005