Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
It is pertinent to consider at this stage an outline of the factors that militate against a systematic
study and understanding of African traditional medicine. First, there is the unfortunate coincidence
of history, that the early European missionaries to Africa not only were the purveyors of their
people's religious beliefs and practices but also ministered to the diseases of the body. They there-
fore considered the suppression of African traditional medicine as a part of their Christian mission.
This mistake is indeed excusable as most native doctors combined the role of a healer and that of
a spiritual director. At present the greatest challenge to traditional medicine comes from Western-
trained doctors who treat traditional doctors with utmost disapproval and disdain. There is no dia-
logue between the two professional groups, and the desirable complementary role of the herbalist in
the health care delivery system is nonexistent. Most educated Africans shy away from any contact
with native healers in the open, and except in seriously diseased states, it is considered uncivilized
to consult the native healers.
thE rEStLESS SPIrItS
Disease and early death are not usually ascribed to chance; organic deterioration and decay are
recognized, but external forces are blamed for most afflictions. Diagnosis is a twofold event: The
organic cause of the sickness has to be established by careful examination and questioning by the
healers; this is complementary to a divination of the spiritual reason for the sickness. Mbiti
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elabo-
rated on this by stating that even if it is explained to a patient that he has malaria because a mosquito
carrying malaria parasites has bitten him, he will still want to know why that mosquito bit him and
not another person. The only satisfactory answer, he argued, is that someone has caused (or “sent”),
by means of magical manipulations, the mosquito to bite a particular individual. Or, the bite is a
punishment from God for breaking one of the taboos or societal norms or a brush from an aggrieved
deceased relative. Hence, the classical African healer's questions, “Why you? Why now?” reflects
the African perception of disease and death. In most African societies, however, “What caused it?”
or “How was it caused?” is in fact more important than “Who caused it?” This is because disease
and misfortune in life are traced to a disharmony or conflict in the spiritual-corporal dualism of
the African self. In most cases, the wrath of the spirits of deceased relatives and ancestors is often
blamed. Life and death are aspects of a cyclic continuum; the dead are not really dead. It is indeed
true that the souls of our fathers hover around us:
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In and out, wherever we go. ... It is true. They are ever present with us; the dead are not dead, they are
ever near us. Approving or disapproving all our actions, they chide us when we go wrong; bless and
sustain us for good deeds done. (From “I Am an African” by G. M. SetiJoana, in Nemec)
The spirits are usually blamed for most misfortunes and diseases; seldom are living people
blamed for diseases. Good health and wealth are therefore an index of a correct relationship between
the individual and the individual's ancestors, the balance of the whole self and one's environment. It
is therefore considered futile to treat a patient with herbs without first appeasing the gods and ances-
tors. If a taboo or society norm has been contravened, then an open confession is usually demanded.
In either case, the necessary sacrifices and herbal medications are prescribed to alleviate the physi-
cal symptoms of the sickness. Oracles are consulted often in sickness and to settle controversial
issues; such consultation usually precedes most herbal treatments.
Instances abound of someone found responsible for the illness, either by poisoning or by magic,
and in such cases the problem is twofold: first to restore good health and second to fight the per-
son's enemies with even stronger magic. This situation sometimes leads to a chain of revenges and
expected deaths. In some parts of Africa, corpses are buried with knives placed on their hands with
definite instructions to seek revenge on the family responsible for the death. It is interesting to note
