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Indigenous healing is based on African traditional belief that the whole person: body, mind and spirit has to be kept healthy. This would involve having good relationships within the family, community as well as with the ancestors. Many people believe that illness occurs when people do not follow the traditions practised by their ancestors.

Indigenous healers include diviner, herbalist and faith healers who treat illness through communication with the ancestors, herbal remedies, indigenous medicine and Christian prayer and have a vast knowledge of plants that can be used as herbal remedies.

What is medicine?Medicine is the practice of healing someone, or making someone feel better. Medicine is practiced in many different countries and in many different ways. Two common types of medical practices are those from the West and traditional healing. Western medicine is called that because it originated in Western Europe and Northern America. Traditional or indigenous healing, is that type of ‘medicine’ where you would go to a local person who has practised traditional healing, such as a sangomas (in South Africa), Ayurvedic practitioners (Persian and Arab influences) and Chinese traditional healing.

When you feel very sick, you normally visit a doctor. The doctor will examine and most likely prescribe (recommend) medication for you take to make you feel better. Sometimes this medicine will be a spray, or a syrup or a tablet. Before these medicines even reach the pharmacy, they have gone through many tests to make sure they are safe for you to use. Many medicine are improved over time so that they work better.

Indigenous healing and western medicineTraditional healing is based on the belief that illness has more than just physical causes and focuses on the healing of the whole person: body, mind and spirit. The training is a spiritual experience, whereby initiates are trained to use herbs remedies and plants as part of the healing process.

Unit 1: Indigenous Healing in SA

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Western medicine if often contrasted with the approach taken by practitioners of indigenous medicine. Western medicine is associates with diseases of the physical body and is based on the principles of science, technology and knowledge developed mainly in Western Europe and Northern America. Western medicine has in the past often neglected the link between the spiritual and the physical, but a more holistic approach is not commonly part of the teaching in most Western Medical Schools.

Activity 1: Western medicine vs. Indigenous Healing

You should now understand the difference between Western medicine and Indigenous healing. Write the word Western or Indigenous in Column B next to the statement in Column A to indicate your choice. (7 marks)

Statement Western or Indigenous

These people believe that herbal medicines can help heal you.

A vaccine is given to young children to prevent them from getting ill later in life.

We use x-ray machines to check if bones have been broken.

We use bones to help us diagnose a person’s illnesses.

When you are feeling very sick you may visit a hospital.

These people are called to their positions by their ancestors

These people generally attend school for many years in order to qualify.

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What is holistic healing?Holistic healing means that the medical person or traditional healer looks at the whole person. This means their physical, emotional, mental and sometimes spiritual well-being. With the start of Western medicine, this holistic view was often left out, and many doctors would only study the physical or mental well-being of patient. Over time, this has changed, and many medical schools now include a holistic approach. Some people may become physically ill because they have a mental disorder or an emotional breakdown.

Practitioners that most often practice holistic healing are Diviners and Herbalists. In South Africa, the most common type of diviner is a Sangoma. A sangomas is a traditional healer or indigenous healer. Sangomas are also called shamans (North American culture).

A person cannot choose to become a sangomas, they are chosen by ancestral spirits who contact individuals in various ways. Sangomas work to heal physical illness, social conflicts and anything else that plagues a certain community. While these healers go through many training rituals before practicing any healing arts, it is believes that they are guided by the hands of their ancestors.

Sangomas are highly respected in South African communities, since their role if to protect a village from evil, find lost animals and heal those who are sick. It is believed that those who do not respect the sangomas will often find trouble. Those who need help from the sangoma will enter into a small hut called Ndumbas.

Herbalists (nyangas) are also professionals who practice holistic healing. Herbalists specialise in handling herbs for medicinal purposes. These herbs should always be of the highest quality, and often herbalists grow their own. Herbalists are able to receive formal training through various organisations and others learn from experienced herbalists.

An important part of herbalism is the identification of various herbs and what they can be used for. An herbalist also needs to be skilled in collecting and storing herbs properly to ensure that they will work as intended. Many herbalist also know the different interactions between various herbs and with mainstream pharmaceuticals, and he or she will carefully discuss a patient’s situation before offering a prescription. Herbal medicine is widely practiced in Asia, especially China.

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Activity 2:As you know now, Sangomas are called to their position by their ancestors, whereas herbalists are able to study the effects of herbs and how they can be used.

Write a short story, explaining the process of how a sangoma is trained. (10 marks)