Traditional African medicine

Traditional African medicine is one of the oldest types of folk medicine that uses local traditions developed over generations to provide medical care to patients. It involves the use of herbs, spirituality, and divination to provide cures for many ailments. The health practices are based on various ethnic and religious beliefs and customs passed down in a particular area, usually a village or other community. Remedies generally also have a spiritual or symbolic reference because illness is thought to occur from a spiritual imbalance, and herbs or medicinal plants from the local area are often also part of the treatment. Traditional medicine seeks to treat not only the body but also the patient’s mind and spirituality.

Traditional African medicine is an important aspect of life for the people of Africa. It is estimated that in Africa, more than 80 percent of the people rely on traditional medicine as their primary means of health care. Research shows that many only have access to traditional practitioners, especially in rural areas. Cost is also a factor since Western pharmaceuticals may be too expensive for most people to consider. Traditional medicine has for thousands of years been an integral part of African life, and it continues, even with Western influence, to remain a part of most Africans’ lives.

Background

Evidence of the use of traditional African medicine can be traced back to the Stone Age. The use of magic and spirituality in healing in Africa is even older than other traditional medical practices. Before the arrival of Europeans to colonize the African continent, traditional medicine was the only means of health care available. Tribes used herbs and other implements found in their area to provide cures that had been passed down orally from previous generations for common ailments. Traditional African religions relied on animism, veneration of dead ancestors, and other spiritual practices, and these practices were woven into medical treatment as well. There was not much demarcation, if any, between curing an illness and practicing religion.

In the nineteenth century when Europe began its conquest of Africa, some aspects of traditional medicine were made illegal, and controls on herbal medicine attempted to be implemented. Along with the arrival of colonists, Christianity was also introduced. The beliefs and practices of Christianity were often in stark contrast to the spirituality-based diagnoses and healings of traditional medicine, which further put it at odds with Western medicine. However, it was very difficult, if not impossible, to enforce the abolishment of traditional medical practices offensive to Christianity and science-based medicine, especially in rural villages.

Colonists and Christian missionaries brought hospitals to many areas in Africa. Prior to this, sick people were cared for at home by family or other village members. The Europeans were concerned about the diseases they found in Africa, which could be treated or controlled with conventional medical care. Although having the knowledge and cures to fight preventable illnesses, acceptance by African communities was often slow due to mistrust and the Westerners’ vastly different approach to medical care.

Western medicine practitioners often did not involve any aspects of traditional medicine, including herbal remedies, in their practice. Even when some of these had been used effectively by generations of Africans, they also did not accept the contribution that traditional practitioners played in village life and the basic health needs they served in the community, such as childbirth. Missionaries and government officials discouraged or penalized Africans for using traditional practices, and this further promoted distrust and widened the gap between the two types of health care.

After some countries gained independence from colonization in the twentieth century, efforts were made to regulate traditional medicine, and this process continues in the twenty-first century. Although regulation could increase the possibility of sharing effective cures and reducing risks and dangers, it is difficult to implement on a broad scale. Many countries struggle with creating the necessary framework for such a massive undertaking, and research and development into a comprehensive plan to integrate traditional therapies into conventional medicine are slow.

As some Africans migrated throughout the world, they brought with them the practices of traditional medicine. Although how Africans’ medical practices and thinking change when migrating to other countries has not been well researched, many traditional cures can be found in various forms throughout any country with a sizable African immigrant population. As a result, traditional African medical practices are being used in many other places in the world and even by non-Africans for their beneficial effects.

Modern Western-style scientifically based medicine is simply not an option for everyone in Africa, even in the twenty-first century, especially in inaccessible rural areas or countries with poor infrastructure. It also remains much more costly, especially for uneducated individuals or women and children. Also, the technology used is often not the best quality available, and maintenance and obtainment of resources can be difficult due to supply chain issues. This lack of consistency and efficacy also erodes trust in Western-style medicine, especially in older people or rural communities. For some serious illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS or malaria, that are very common in Africa, there is a significant lack of modern medical treatment available. Hence, traditional medicine continues to be a staple in the life of many Africans, and in some cases, it is the only access to medical care Africans may have.

However, there is a noticeable decline in the use of traditional medicine in some places in Africa. Although relied on by many as a basic need in rural areas, many younger generations are moving to more urban areas for education or employment where conventional medical care is available. The use of traditional practices is looked down upon by some as being ignorant of science or old-fashioned. Therefore, interest has waned in learning practices as traditional healers grow old and die, taking their wealth of knowledge with them.

To help prevent the decay of traditional medical practices, bridge the gap between medical practice styles, and promote more comprehensive and patient-focused care, some conventional and Western-style practitioners have integrated traditional healing medicines and methodology. The pharmaceutical industry has taken an interest in traditional African herbalism to find more bioactive agents to treat conditions, and the herbal trading market in Africa is extensive. Although African herbalism is not generally well-researched or regulated, many promising plants and compounds may provide cures for illness. Safety and effectiveness need to be demonstrated, but research on many common traditional African herbal remedies is underway.

On August 31 of each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates African Traditional Medicine Day. It pays tribute to the role that traditional medicine has had and continues to have in the lives of African people. Through this and similar initiatives, WHO seeks to educate the world about the benefits of traditional medicine and promote its role in health systems. Through funding, education, regulation, and research, WHO feels that traditional medicine has a valuable place when integrated into conventional medical practice.

Overview

Traditional African medicine is as diverse as the cultural and ethnic variety in Africa, and differences in belief and practice can also vary from village to village. A practitioner provides care to those in the community and uses locally sourced plants and animal products along with spiritually based incantations and other practices that relate to the local people’s culture and beliefs. Although there may be many differences, some similarities exist.

Practitioners

Traditional practitioners usually do not have a formal education but have received an education through information passed on to them by others. A traditional practitioner may take on an apprentice or pass down knowledge to children or other relatives. However, some traditional practitioners view their knowledge as a secret entrusted to them by a spiritual source and are not willing to share it, at least as long as they are able to continue their work. Other practitioners may find their calling to medicine after being healed through traditional practices, and these individuals rely heavily on their spiritual connection for their knowledge. Most traditional practitioners view their ability to diagnose and heal as a gift from the spirit world and highly prize their abilities.

Practitioners may also specialize in a particular area of medicine, much like Western-style practitioners. Some may be expert herbalists, diviners, seers, or spiritual guides, heal specific injuries and ailments, or attend to women giving birth as midwives. Religion, spirituality, and custom play a role almost universally in methods used by traditional practitioners. Most villages or communities have at least one practitioner that provides different services or methods of treatment.

Like other professionals, practitioners usually expect some form of payment for their services, as it is their livelihood. While they may not require a monetary sum, especially in rural or economically depressed areas, they may ask for useful goods or services in exchange for cures or services rendered. One difference from Western-style medicine is that in African societies payment may be directly linked to the efficacy of the treatment. The better the cure, the higher the price paid for it. For this reason, traditional medicine makes much more sense to many Africans. However, in the twenty-first century, there is an increase in traditional healers, especially in urban areas, that require monetary payment, even sometimes prior to treatment.

Diagnosis

Traditional practitioners usually rely on spiritual or supernatural means for diagnosis but also use observation and experience. Practitioners usually address the spiritual aspects of a patient prior to the medical need, since the belief is that the gift of healing is from a spiritual source along with the ailment and remedy.

Practitioners try to first determine what may be causing a patient’s illness, and illness is often tied closely to any type of misfortune. Since any ailment is believed to stem from an imbalance in the spiritual world or environment around the patient, the practitioner seeks to find the proper way to restore this balance. An incantation, or spell, may be used for the practitioner to understand what the imbalance is and how to restore it.

Divination using spiritual omens and rituals may also be used to identify the illness. In some cases, a practitioner may have the patient consult a specialized diviner who can provide a diagnosis and recommended treatment. This may even require the patient to perform certain rituals or possibly provide an offering or sacrifice to a spirit. Dreams, trances, and hallucinations from a god or another spiritual source may also offer insight into a patient’s condition or cure. Also, certain rituals, such as dances or chants, may be required to encourage the spirit realm to make contact to provide information to the practitioner.

Treatments

Various treatments are prescribed for their spiritual and symbolic significance as well as their medicinal effect on a patient. Treatments may range from medical-based practices, such as setting a bone or delivering a baby, to an action to provide a spiritual benefit or a combination of both. Herbal remedies may also be prescribed as medicines.

Herbal and medicinal plant remedies are a mainstay of traditional medicine in Africa because they are an inexpensive and easily obtained resource that has a long history of medical use in most communities. These may include delivery in the form of ointments, steam baths, emetics to induce vomiting, and teas, powders, pills, or tinctures to be consumed. The tropical regions of Africa are rich with diverse plant life that has known healing properties even in Western medicine. The plants commonly used contain phytochemicals that work together to produce a beneficial effect to treat or prevent an illness. However, in traditional medicine, plants are also valued for their spiritual and symbolic significance. The color, shape, or other properties of the plant can be symbolic and ascertained to have special properties.

Although herbal and plant remedies vary by regional area, popular ones include Acacia Senegal (gum Arabic), Artemisia herba-alba (wormwood), Aspalathus linerairs (rooibos), Centella asiatica (centella), Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle), Cyclopia genistoides (honeybush), Harpagophytum procumbens (devil’s claw), Momordica charantia (bitter melon), and Pelargonium sidoides (umckaloabo). These are used to treat a range of symptoms or ailments from relatively minor to serious medical conditions, such as infection, bleeding, gastric upset, leprosy, cancer, diabetes, heart problems, and neuralgia. Interestingly, some of these, such as rooibos, have become popular herbal products in Western countries as people outside Africa become acquainted with the unique therapeutic properties of plants. A plant known as Sutherlandia microphylla (cancer bush) from South Africa is also being researched as an inexpensive and widely available way to help improve the quality of life of HIV patients.

Animal products can also be used in traditional forms of treatment, which is known as zootherapy. Animal products such as blood, skin, urine, fat, or bone can be used directly or provide an ingredient for a remedy to be consumed or applied topically. They may also be used in the form of an amulet, a charm, or a ceremonial implement. Local markets or shops supply communities with animal products that provide common cures for ailments. This is heavily influenced by cultural and religious beliefs and represents the close connection between human and animal life. This practice has met with some resistance from Western cultures because animals are generally sourced from the wild, and this may include the use of endangered species.

Incantations involving the use of spells, charms, amulets, or rituals are also usually included in treatments. Another practitioner may also be required to perform part of the spiritually directed actions. Sympathetic, or imitative, magic may also be employed using a model of the patient or another person thought to be responsible for a malady. Actions done to the model are thought to be magically transferred to the person in a manner similar to the use of a voodoo doll. These may also be used in relation to people who are deceased since traditional beliefs include the involvement of dead friends, relatives, and ancestors in living people.

Rituals may also be required for not only diagnosis, but also treatment. For example, a tribal dance may need to be performed either by the practitioner, the patient, or family and friends. This is done to mediate a spiritual or social imbalance and may be combined with medicinal herbal or animal products and incantations to complete treatment. Rituals can take a variety of forms, from a simple ceremony being done by a single person to an elaborate performance by a large group of people to achieve the desired effect.

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