Investigating experiences and practices of indigenous healing beneficiaries in Kaliyangile community of Zambezi region in Namibia
| dc.contributor.author | Lilemba, Victoria N. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-07-14T07:37:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-07-14T07:37:02Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2017 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master Degree of Education in Lifelong Learning and Community Education | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | The objective of this study was to investigate expe`riences and perceptions of indigenous healing beneficiaries in the Kaliyangile community of the Zambezi Region. In order to achieve this objective, a qualitative-phenomenological design, drawing on open-ended and closed-ended interviews, was adopted. Snowball sampling was used to identify indigenous healing beneficiaries who participated in the study while homogenous sampling was used to identify the indigenous healers. Related literature and indigenous knowledge systems theory offered ideas that were used to conceptualise the study and analyze the data. When analyzed, data revealed an overwhelmingly positive perception of indigenous healers as panacea to all the social and health ills within the Kaliyangile community. The indigenous healer was largely perceived as, among others: “a great problem solver”, “someone in charge of the environment and people’s well-being” and “someone possessing supernatural powers to cast out bad spirits and afflictions”. As shown in the data, indigenous healers are more trusted, admired and highly revered by the beneficiaries of their services, giving rise to a deep-rootedness of indigenous healing practices in the community. Despite harboring positive perceptions in indigenous healing services, beneficiaries narrated a mixed bag of experiences in their dealing with providers of indigenous healing services. Some of the beneficiaries who participated in the study held positive experiences of indigenous healing services as most of the ailments or diseases that were taken to indigenous healers were resolved or healed. On the flip side of the same coin, however, data revealed that some beneficiaries’ experiences of indigenous healing were not all that positive. Negative experiences included, among others: manipulation through the use of fear, exclusion of beneficiaries during divination by resorting to inaccessible language, and charging exorbitant fees. Beneficiaries’ negative experiences with indigenous healing were exacerbated by the lack of sensitization about the benefits of indigenous healing services and short of qualified personnel in indigenous healing services. The study recommends the integration of indigenous healing services into the mainstream health system; adoption of a multi-sectoral approach in sensitizing the public about the use of indigenous medicine; preservation of indigenous knowledge systems and provision of educational programmes on indigenous healing systems. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/2025 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | University of Namibia | en_US |
| dc.subject | Indigenous healing | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Traditional medicine, Namibia | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Healers, Namibia | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Primary health care, Namibia | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Health education services, Namibia | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Healing, Namibia | |
| dc.title | Investigating experiences and practices of indigenous healing beneficiaries in Kaliyangile community of Zambezi region in Namibia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |