MoCU Repository

Traditional Medicine and Healing Knowledge in the Context of Witchcraft:

Show simple item record

dc.contributor.author Iwata, John J.
dc.date.accessioned 2024-02-05T09:55:19Z
dc.date.available 2024-02-05T09:55:19Z
dc.date.issued 2023
dc.identifier.citation Iwata J. J. (2023). Traditional Medicine and Healing Knowledge in the Context of Witchcraft: What Do the Holy Books and Religious Leaders Say? University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal. Vol 18, No 2, pp 98-114. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 0856-1818
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.mocu.ac.tz/xmlui/handle/123456789/1240
dc.description A full text article from Library, Information Sciences and Knowledge Economy en_US
dc.description.abstract In developing countries including Tanzania, traditional medicine and healing knowledge are increasingly utilised, and play a crucial role in healthcare. However, such knowledge often faces negative associations with witchcraft. This study explored perspectives from holy books and religious leaders regarding the management of traditional medicine and healing knowledge, the role of religion in the process, the potential efficacy of traditional healing knowledge for common health conditions, and the reasons behind the association with witchcraft. A mixed research approach was employed. Religious leaders formed the population of this study. Data were collected through semi structured face-to-face interviews with religious leaders, supplemented with documentary review. Data from face-to-face interviews were qualitatively analysed through thematic content analysis before it was coded and analysed through SPSS for numeric descriptions. Results underscored the vital role of traditional medicine and healing knowledge in Tanzania’s healthcare. Religious leaders and holy books recognised the necessity for managing such knowledge. Despite available religious texts describing traditional practices and their potential efficacy, religious leaders in the study area did not actively support the management of such knowledge, but rather associated it with witchcraft. The association with witchcraft arises from misunderstandings and societal biases introduced by foreign religions, early traders, and colonialists. The conclusion has been that although religious organisations played no role in the management of such knowledge, holy books, and religious leaders acknowledged the importance of doing that. Impoverishing, demonising, and disregarding were due to colonialism. The implications for managing knowledge in this context have also been provided. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries Vol. 18;2
dc.subject Traditional medicine en_US
dc.subject Healing Knowledge en_US
dc.subject Witchcraft en_US
dc.subject Holy Books en_US
dc.subject Religious Leaders en_US
dc.subject Indigenous knowledge en_US
dc.subject cultural practices en_US
dc.title Traditional Medicine and Healing Knowledge in the Context of Witchcraft: en_US
dc.title.alternative What Do the Holy Books and Religious Leaders Say? en_US
dc.type Article en_US


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Search MoCU IR


Advanced Search

Browse

My Account