Indigenous Healing in South Africa: A Neglected Potential

Abstract

The incidence of indigenous healing, recognition of the spiritual and emotional dimension in the lives of our population, lack of 'professionally' qualified mental health workers, inadequacy of imposing Western approaches on other cultures, proven effectiveness of nonprofessional workers in the mental health area, shortcomings in and disenchantment with Western models of healing and the holistic nature of indigenous healing compel cognisance. The similarity between certain Western approaches, such as that of Jung, and indigenous healing, development in brain research, humanistic and transpersonal psychology, arguments by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the call to integrate indigenous and Western approaches to healing, necessitates a closer look at the area. South African academics and professionals have urged for the recognition of indigenous healing in order to provide a cornqrehenslve mental health service. It is felt that indigenous healing can teach us and offer unique opportunities in the applied and research aspects of psychology.S. Afr. J. Psycho!. 1979,9: 118 -124 Die erkenning van die geestelike en emosionele dimensie in die lewes van ons bevolking, die gebrek aan 'professioneel' gekwalifiseerde geestesgesondheidswerkers, die ontoereikendheid van Westerse benaderings wat op ander kulture afgedwing word, die bewese effektiwiteit van nie-professionele werkers op die terrein van geestesgesondheid, en die enersydse tekortkorninqe van en ontnugtering oor Westerse 'model Ie' van genesing en die andersydse holistiese aard van 'inheemse' genesing, dwing aandag. Die ooreenkoms tussen sommige Westerse benaderings, soos die van Jung en 'inheemse' genesing, ontwikkelings in breinnavorsing, in humanistiese en transpersoonlike sielkunde, uitsprake van die Wereld Gesondheidsorganisasie en die beroep om Westerse en 'inheemse' benaderings tot genesing te integreer, vereis eweneens aandag. Suid-Afrikaanse akademici en professionele mense het 'n beroep gedoen om erkenning van 'inheemse' genesing met die oog op die daarstelling van 'n omvattende geestesgesondheidsdiens. Daar word gevoel dat ons kan leer uit 'inheemse' genesing en dat dit geleenthede skep vir navorsing oor en toepassing van die sielkunde.

A Psychology of Indigenous Healing in Southern Africa

“…As used in this article, the term perennial psychology therefore broadens Wilber's conception to include ancestral consciousness, beliefs and practices, as apprehended through direct experience, rites, customs and rituals in memory of ancestors ranging from personal, familial and communal human ancestors through animals and reptiles to ultimate sources and contexts, including God and/or the Godhead, and beyond (Edwards, 2009;Edwards, Makunga, Thwala, & Mbele, 2009;Edwards et al, 2011;Gumede, 1990;Holdstock, 1979Holdstock, , 1981. This "umoya" psychology is ultimately concerned with those typically pre-personal unconscious, physiological, behavioral, lived, observed, verbal and non-verbal phenomena of life such as breathing, sensing, imagining, gesturing, moving, talking, and dancing.…”

Assessing African medicinal plants for efficacy and safety: pharmacological screening and toxicology

“…A preliminary inventory of plants used for psychoactive purposes in southern African traditional healing has been compiled (Sobiecki, 2002). Many authors have also documented the effectiveness of traditional medicines in treating such disorders (Bergman, 1973;Swift and Asuni, 1975;Holdstock, 1979;Gelfand et al, 1985;Gumede, 1990). The success of traditional medicines is often attributed to the 'placebo effect' (Weiss, 1988), rather than through active principles producing predictable physiological responses (Hutchings, 1992).…”

The changing geography of traditional medicine: Urban herbalism on the Witwatersrand, South Africa

“…A recent survey conducted in Zululand, for example, indicates that 40% of urban blacks utilise traditional medicines alone or in combination with western medicine (Edwards et al 1983). Similarly, Holdstock (1979) estimates that over 80% of residents in the African township of Soweto near Johannesburg utilise traditional medicines and consult herbalists. The number of herbalists practising in urban areas has grown dramatically; in 1986 in Soweto, for example, approximately 10 000 herbalists were in operation.…”