Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging
Background: Traditional healers (THs) are an important part of the healthcare system in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding their training, experiences of becoming healers and their perceived roles in society is critical. Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience of becoming a TH, including acc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2021-03-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1528 |
| _version_ | 1817983247996420096 |
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| author | Alberta S.J. van der Watt Sarah V. Biederman Jibril O. Abdulmalik Irene Mbanga Pricilla Das-Brailsford Soraya Seedat |
| author_facet | Alberta S.J. van der Watt Sarah V. Biederman Jibril O. Abdulmalik Irene Mbanga Pricilla Das-Brailsford Soraya Seedat |
| author_sort | Alberta S.J. van der Watt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Traditional healers (THs) are an important part of the healthcare system in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding their training, experiences of becoming healers and their perceived roles in society is critical.
Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience of becoming a TH, including accepting the calling, and sheds light on how the experience is conceptualised within the cultural and communitarian context of THs.
Setting: This study was conducted amongst Xhosa THs in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Methods: In-depth phenomenological interviews (n = 4) were conducted with Xhosa THs and analysed using Giorgi’s descriptive pre-transcendental Husserlian phenomenological analysis.
Results: The experience of becoming a TH can be summarised in the context of three units of significance: (1) the gift of healing as an illness; (2) the experience of conflict (including with their families, the church and self-conflict); and (3) the experience of belonging. Familial conflict, specifically, was fuelled by the financial burden of becoming a TH and a lack of understanding of the process.
Conclusion: To develop a workable model of collaboration in the future, it is crucial that mental healthcare providers develop a better understanding of the experiences of THs in becoming care providers. The findings highlight an appreciation of the challenging process of becoming a TH. Finally, further research and culturally appropriate psychoeducation can provide trainee THs and their family members with the skills and knowledge to support each other through a difficult process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:30:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a70ba8fc78c447428fa1529ea3153050 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1608-9685 2078-6786 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:30:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-a70ba8fc78c447428fa1529ea31530502022-12-22T02:24:55ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Psychiatry1608-96852078-67862021-03-01270e1e910.4102/sajpsychiatry.v27i0.1528529Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belongingAlberta S.J. van der Watt0Sarah V. Biederman1Jibril O. Abdulmalik2Irene Mbanga3Pricilla Das-Brailsford4Soraya Seedat5Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, HamburgDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, IbadanDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownDepartment of Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Washington, DCDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownBackground: Traditional healers (THs) are an important part of the healthcare system in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding their training, experiences of becoming healers and their perceived roles in society is critical. Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience of becoming a TH, including accepting the calling, and sheds light on how the experience is conceptualised within the cultural and communitarian context of THs. Setting: This study was conducted amongst Xhosa THs in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: In-depth phenomenological interviews (n = 4) were conducted with Xhosa THs and analysed using Giorgi’s descriptive pre-transcendental Husserlian phenomenological analysis. Results: The experience of becoming a TH can be summarised in the context of three units of significance: (1) the gift of healing as an illness; (2) the experience of conflict (including with their families, the church and self-conflict); and (3) the experience of belonging. Familial conflict, specifically, was fuelled by the financial burden of becoming a TH and a lack of understanding of the process. Conclusion: To develop a workable model of collaboration in the future, it is crucial that mental healthcare providers develop a better understanding of the experiences of THs in becoming care providers. The findings highlight an appreciation of the challenging process of becoming a TH. Finally, further research and culturally appropriate psychoeducation can provide trainee THs and their family members with the skills and knowledge to support each other through a difficult process.https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1528faith healingmental healththwasatraditional healersxhosa |
| spellingShingle | Alberta S.J. van der Watt Sarah V. Biederman Jibril O. Abdulmalik Irene Mbanga Pricilla Das-Brailsford Soraya Seedat Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging South African Journal of Psychiatry faith healing mental health thwasa traditional healers xhosa |
| title | Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging |
| title_full | Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging |
| title_fullStr | Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging |
| title_short | Becoming a Xhosa traditional healer: The calling, illness, conflict and belonging |
| title_sort | becoming a xhosa traditional healer the calling illness conflict and belonging |
| topic | faith healing mental health thwasa traditional healers xhosa |
| url | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1528 |
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