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Amazing! How do traditional South African doctors use bones to treat illnesses?
In South Africa, traditional doctors play an integral role in society. They used different rituals, herbs, and therapies to address physical and spiritual ailments. Among them, divination through bones is a unique and ancient treatment method. It is not only a solution to illness, but also a search for a deep soul.
In South Africa, about 60% of the people will seek help from traditional doctors. Their existence is not only a part of the medical industry, but also an important part of the cultural and social structure.
Traditional doctors in South Africa are mainly divided into two categories: diviners (sangoma) and herbalists (inyanga). Diviners focused on spiritual and social matters, using bones to reveal the causes of disease, while herbalists focused on medicines made from plants and animals. These healers are widely respected for their ability to interpret ancestral messages and provide psychological and emotional support.
The responsibilities of traditional doctors are not limited to treating diseases. They also assist in birth and death rituals, find lost items, fight against bad luck, and pass on the history and philosophy of the culture. Their job is often to connect with the spirits of their ancestors and to mediate harmony between the living and the dead through rituals.
"Healing is not only the treatment of the body, but also the healing of the soul." This sentence embodies the fundamental concept of South African traditional medicine.
In divination rituals, traditional doctors use various objects, such as animal spines, shells, dice, etc. Each of these objects has its own symbolic meaning and has profound cultural stories hidden behind it. Patients often undergo one or more divination sessions in order to find out the root cause of their symptoms and then choose appropriate treatments based on the instructions of their ancestors.
In addition to bone divination, traditional healers also use healing medicines called muthi, which are often made from plants, animals or minerals and are given spiritual meanings. For example, lion's fat was thought to strengthen children's courage, and these medicines often required cleansing rituals such as bathing or fasting before use.
"Revealing the root cause of the disease can spiritually heal the patient's pain, which is the mission of every traditional doctor."
During the training process of traditional doctors, apprentices need to go through a long and rigorous study, which usually includes conversations with ancestors, identification of herbs, and how to perform various healing rituals. The learning process is not only the acquisition of medical knowledge, but also a spiritual baptism and spiritual awakening.
In many rituals, music and dance play an important role. Traditional healers use drumming and dancing to summon the spirits of their ancestors and enter a trance state during intense celebrations, allowing them to communicate with the spirit world. These rituals are not only therapeutic but a reassertion of cultural and social values.
However, with the changes in modern society, the role of traditional doctors is also constantly evolving. The impact of urbanization and colonial history has led to the convergence of traditional and Western medicine. It is increasingly common that many patients choose to seek help from both traditional and modern medical treatments.
Today, while preserving traditional medical culture, how to benefit from each other with this precious knowledge and modern medicine has undoubtedly become a question that all sectors of society need to think about together.
