Yerberias or Hierberias

Yerberias or Hierberias are stores that sell a combination of herbal medicines, charms, religious items, candles, and sacred oils to a predominantly Hispanic customer base. I noticed that there seemed to be a cluster of these shops in a two to three block radius on South 17th street in McAllen, so I took some pictures of the exteriors of the shops (see below). I did this on a Sunday, when most of the shops are closed, so as not to provoke concern amongst the shopowners. Ever since I moved to the Valley, I've been very interested in the tradition of curandisimo, the traditional folk healing customs of people of Mexican descent on both sides of the border. I'm fascinated by the idea that people tend to live in a world made up of people much like themselves with the same beliefs and philosophies. We don't stray out of our little worlds into the parallel worlds of the people who surround us very often, and I think this is the cause of many of the tensions that exist between various groups of people. If you live in a large metropolitan area, you can essentially tour the world by visiting the various neighborhoods in your city. In the Valley, many people live in a cocoon of their own culture and ethnicity, never bothering to become familiar with the other world that surrounds them. I've always been drawn to "the other," or different ways of looking at the world. I make my share of blunders, but I'm always very interested in walking in the steps of people of different traditions and cultures than my own, even if it is for just a few hours.