Professor Robert Thornton, Anthropology, Wits University

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Professor Robert Thornton, Anthropology, Wits
University
Traditional Healers , Bio-medical Practice and
Sexuality Prospects and Barriers toCo-operation
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Ma Lubisi, sangoma, Acornhoek
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The Project Traditional healers and Medical
doctors responses to HIV/AIDS and potential for
co-operation

• Supported by Margaret Sanger Institute, Boston,
  USA
• Administered by Medical Care Development
  International
• Principle Investigators Edward Green, Harvard
  University School of Public Health and Professor
  Robert Thornton, Anthropology, Wits Univeristy.

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Project Details

• Conducted in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and
  KwaZulu-Natal, April to August 2002.
• Interviews with Traditional Healers (Diviners
  or sangomas, Faith Healers, Herbalists) and
  Medical Doctors who practice in similar areas
  (rural, small towns and townships).
• 24 Traditional healers in KwaZulu-Natal, 11 in
  Mpumalanga, 21 in Gauteng
• 21 medical personnel in KwaZulu-Natal, 6 in
  Gauteng, and 8 in Mpumalanga (doctors and nurses).

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Project aims To investigage

• The nature of traditional healers responses to
  HIV/AIDS
• The extent and nature of tradtional healers
  contact with each other and with bio-medical
  practitioners
• The attitudes held by traditional healers and
  medical personnel about each other.

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Who are Traditional healers?

• There are three types, none of them exclusive
  to each other, with some people claiming status
  as one, two or all types
• Diviners (sangoma) possessed or possessors of
  spirits (amadlozi) initiated belong to mutual
  support groups (mpande, or roots) where they
  are trained and initiated
• Faith healers (amaprofeti) Generally Christian,
  heal by prayer and ritual belong to churches
  practice alone
• Herbalists Practice as business not
  possessed learn trade from parents or other kin

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Principle findings

• Distinction must be made between cure and
  treatment
• Considerable confusion about this in traditional
  healing
• Some methods and herbs appear to be effective in
  treatment of symptoms
• Healers and MD express interest in co-operation

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Obstacles to co-operation

• Poor organisation of healers no system of
  registration or qualification
• Healers themselves are dissatisfied with their
  organisations
• Many traditional healers are resistant to further
  organisation of licensing
• Nurses, especially, are hostile to Tr. healers

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Conclusions and recommendations

• Some traditional healing methods and herbs are
  effective in treatment of AIDS symptoms
• Closer direct or directed co-operation between MD
  and Traditional healers is not advisable since it
  is likely to decrease legitimacy of both
• Process of working in parallel is appropriate,
  but formal methods for cross-referral are likely
  to be effective
• Government intervention unlikely and probably
  undesirable, but education of medical personnel
  in traditional healing practices is appropriate
  and do-able

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Traditional concepts of sexuality

• Tradtional concepts of sexuality and sexual
  practice are poorly understood
• Further knowledge of this is essential in
  interventions aimed at limiting HIV and STI
  transmission
• There is a set of concepts about sexuality that
  is shared by many healers and their clients

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The flows of sexual substance in social time and
space
Ancestors, the past
time
Lovers, wives and husbands
Lovers, wives and husbands
space society
Children, the future
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The flows of blood and gifts
Ancestors, the past
Sacrifices, ukuphahla
Lovers, wives and husbands
Lovers, wives and husbands
Gifts
Sexual fluids
Blood
Children, the future
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A Sangomas model of the body
Enduring
Transient
Substance
Non- substance
presence
fluid
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Thank you for your attention