Bapedi traditional healers in the Limpopo Province, South Africa: Their socio-cultural profile and traditional healing practice

Background: Knowledge transfer is an unavoidable process when it comes to indigenous knowledge especially in Africa, the continent known for its oral tradition. Such knowledge is in danger of being obliterated as a result of a number of factors, including lack of interest from younger generations and low life expectancy whereby knowledgeable people die before transferring it to the next generation as it is mostly not documented. Objectives: This qualitative study utilised hermeneutic phenomenology guided by the organisational knowledge conversion theory to investigate the transfer of indigenous knowledge by traditional healers in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Method: The study utilised a snowball sampling technique to determine the population. Data collected through interviews with traditional healers were augmented with observations done on two healers who were in the middle of their training when this study was conducted, as well as an analysis of records held by some healers. Results: The findings suggestthat knowledge of traditional healing is believed to be transferred to the chosen ones through dreams and visions. However, this knowledge seems to be transferred through mentorship and apprenticeship, as well as interactions with other healers. Conclusion: It is concluded that transferring knowledge of traditional healing goes beyond just transference; it is embedded as a belief system in many African communities. An in-depth study on the development of a framework to integrate indigenous knowledge of traditional healers into mainstream health system is recommended.

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Socio-economic challenges faced by traditional healers in Limpopo province of South Africa: conversations from below

AlterNative An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples ◽

10.1177/1177180120956718 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 315-322

Author(s):

Mogomme Alpheus Masoga ◽

Allucia Lulu Shokane

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Social Welfare ◽

Economic Status ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Traditional Healing ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Direct Observations ◽

The Social ◽

The Usa

Traditional healing remains core to many local communities in South Africa. This research was aimed at fostering stronger relationships between traditional healers and biomedical medicine focusing on their socio-economic challenges. This research involved collaboration between two Universities in South Africa and the USA, focusing on the social welfare and traditional healing, by articulating the experiences and positions of 40 selected traditional healers. Afro-sensed and developmental social welfare approaches were used for this study. Qualitative research approaches using focus group discussions, direct observations and in-depth interviews with selected traditional healers were applied. A thematic analysis approach was used to cluster emerging themes and sub-themes. Carefully presented themes were sifted from the data that referred to traditional healers’ experiences of their socio-economic realities. It should be noted that, while the socio-economic status of healers was significant, the scope of spiritual and philosophical dimensions related to traditional healing could not be ignored.

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The preservation of knowledge of traditional healing in the Limpopo province of South Africa

Information Development ◽

10.1177/0266666917723956 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 515-525 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jan Resenga Maluleka ◽

Patrick Ngulube

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Phenomenological Research ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Traditional Healing ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

Organisational Knowledge ◽

Phenomenological Research Method ◽

Control Knowledge

The study aimed to investigate the methodologies employed by traditional healers to preserve knowledge of traditional healing. Organisational knowledge conversion theory was employed to guide the study. The study adopted the hermeneutic phenomenological research method and utilised snowball-sampling to identify participants. Data collection was done through observations and interviews. The findings indicate that there is some consensus among healers that ancestors control knowledge of traditional healing and pass it down to the chosen healers through dreams and visions. However, even though ancestors are believed to be the ones who preserve knowledge of traditional healing, there are healers who document their knowledge using different mediums chosen by them. The study concludes that even though the knowledge of traditional healers is largely preserved orally, and faces challenges, there are some initiatives globally and in South Africa to have this knowledge externalised and documented.

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Erectile dysfunction: Definition and materia medica of Bapedi traditional healers in Limpopo province, South Africa

Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ◽

10.5897/jmpr2012.940 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 71-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Johannes Christoffel Erasmus Lourens ◽

Johannes Potgieter Marthienus ◽

Silas Semenya Sebua

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Erectile Dysfunction ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Materia Medica

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Plants Used by Bapedi Traditional Healers to Treat Asthma and Related Symptoms in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2018/2183705 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sebua Silas Semenya ◽

Alfred Maroyi

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Study Finding ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Herbal Remedies ◽

Face To Face ◽

Sclerocarya Birrea ◽

Time In Literature ◽

Herbal Therapies

To the best of our knowledge there are presently no ethnobotanical surveys focusing on the utilisation of herbal remedies for asthma in South Africa. The present study is therefore an attempt to fill this gap in knowledge. A total of 140 Bapedi traditional healers (THs) practicing in the Capricorn, Sekhukhune, and Waterberg districts of the Limpopo Province (South Africa) were queried using semistructured questionnaires, supplemented by field observations during face-to-face interview. A total of 104 medicinal plant species (92 indigenous and 12 exotics) belonging to 92 genera, distributed across 54 botanical families, mostly the Asteraceae and Fabaceae (18.5%, for each) as well as Malvaceae (12.9%), were used as antiasthmatics and related symptoms by these THs. Most of the plants were trees and herbs (37.5%, for each), with root (57%), leaf (15.8%), and bark (7.5%), respectively, being the saliently used parts for preparation of remedies.Clerodendrum ternatum,Cryptocarya transvaalensis,Lasiosiphon caffer,Enicostema axillare,Mimusops obovata,Sclerocarya birrea, andStylochaeton natalensiswere widely used and valued by all THs across the surveyed districts. Furthermore, these taxa also scored both the highest use value and fidelity level indexes as asthma therapies. Overall, the larger number of species documented in the present study is recorded for the first time in literature as asthma and/or related symptoms remedies. Our study finding generally contributes towards an establishment of South African database of herbal therapies used traditionally against these conditions.

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