Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe

When Olson returns, Abaratatura concludes that he is not a threat and decides to let him stay at Corrorncayra. Olson’s main concern is how to introduce the medicine he brought. The Barí prefer the use of their traditional healers (called witch doctors in the text) for curing illness, often refusing Olson’s medicine when he offers it. Olson knows that other missionaries make a point of competing with traditional healers, viewing their influence as a demonic element in the tribes. However, he sees that they genuinely are passionate about helping their people, and view their religious rituals as praying to God in the best way they know. He seeks to support their efforts by having them distribute medicine to people.

As an epidemic of pinkeye breaks out among the Barí, Olson approaches a healer who has shown exceptional dedication. Olson gives himself pink eye and asks the healer to treat him with antibiotics to prove their effectiveness. She administers these, combining them with traditional chants and rituals. Once this cures him, he suggests she try it with others too, which works. Olson’s next plan is to educate the Barí on sanitation. He shows the same healer how he can kill germs (which she identified as evil spirits) with disinfectants.