The influences of traditional medicine in relation to its various use by the African societies : a review of Zulu novels.
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Date
2000
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Abstract
Traditional medicine, unlike western medicine, is not merely concerned with physical
illness, but it is used for various purposes. For instance: It can be used for lkuthwala'
(the process whereby a person consults a traditional doctor for the medicine that will
make a person very rich). The practice of 'ukuthwala' has numerous disavantages,
especially because of the price that is paid in return of the wealth accumulated. The
price is usually a human sacrifice, depending on what version of Ukuthwala' a person
has opted for. Traditional medicine can also be used for witchcraft (ukuthakatha),for
protection against evil spirits (ukuqinisa) , for making someone love you, for job
opportunities, and for inspiration of the army. It can be either used for good or evil
purposes. The dissertation looks at both versions by strongly drawing examples from
Zulu novels.
Other issues raised in this study is the importance of religion and cosmology, culture,
magic, as well as spiritual healing, in association with traditional medicine. The
Africans believe in the spirit world. They believed that for people to communicate
with 'Mvelinqangi ' (God) there should be 'amadlozi' (the ancestors), who should
intercede with God on their behalf. Usually, they call a sangoma' (medium) or
'inyanga' (medicine-man) to perform the religious ritual, or he would just instruct the
elder person in the family how to carry out the procedure of communicating with the
ancestors (Canonici, 1996). Traditional medicine has its own professional ethics.
These ethics are also discussed in the research.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.
Keywords
Traditional medicine--South Africa., Medicine in literature., Folklore in literature., Dlomo, R.R.R. Izwi Nesithunzi., Gwayi, J.C. Shumpu., Bhengu, Kenneth. Uphuya wasemshwathi., Hlela, Moses. Imithi ephundliwe., Mkhize, M.T. Inkukhu yanqunywa umlomo., Theses--IsiZulu.