My Friend the Witch Doctor

Your Friend the Witch Doctor?

You are working in a remote area of the world to identify the epidemiologic factors contributing to a host of diseases in the area in order to introduce public health measures to improve the overall well-being of the villagers.

The Shaman, because of his status within the community, is vital to your success. He alone is responsible for your lack of progress. Unfortunately, the Shaman is extremely suspicious of your presence and speaks no English. No one in the village is permitted to speak without the permission of the Shaman for fear of bad juju. Your job is to befriend the Shaman to gain his trust to provide access to the information you desire. He is particularly distrustful of Western religions which patronize his animistic roots.

In not less than 400 words and references in AMA style explain:

How do you go about building a working relationship with the Shaman without undermining his worldview while maintaining your own Christian ideals?