They are characterized by a combination of practices and knowledge about the human body, and coexistence with other human beings, with nature and with spiritual beings. They involve all aspects of health promotion, prevention of illness and treatment and rehabilitation, but differ from most Western health systems in that they take an integral or holistic approach.8 Many indigenous families address illness with a variety of approaches and practices, using either traditional or Western medicine, or a combination of the two. If treatment administered in the home proves insufficient, the choice is made—often by a woman, who is the primary decision-maker in this arena—as to whether to send the sick person to a practitioner of traditional or of Western medicine. In the absence of state health systems that incorporate the philosophies and practices of both traditional and Western medicine, the choice becomes polarized between the two systems, often to the detriment of the sick person.