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One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers

Traditional healers are widely accepted by traditional societies but literature shows that they are extensively employed by the urban people of Malaysia and South Africa. Traditional healers, including witchcraft practitioners and spirit owners have a connection with cultural beliefs and illness irr...

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Main Author: Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura
Format: Conference or Workshop Item
Language:English
English
Published: 2015
Subjects:
GN Anthropology
H10 Societies
HM621 Culture
HM711 Groups and organizations
HM826 Social institutions
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/1/ABSTRACT_TRADITIONAL_HEALERS.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/4/49253-program.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/
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spelling my.iium.irep.492532016-05-12T06:43:08Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/ One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura GN Anthropology H10 Societies HM621 Culture HM711 Groups and organizations HM826 Social institutions Traditional healers are widely accepted by traditional societies but literature shows that they are extensively employed by the urban people of Malaysia and South Africa. Traditional healers, including witchcraft practitioners and spirit owners have a connection with cultural beliefs and illness irrespective of their socio-cultural background. This study attempts to identify the beliefs and practices of traditional healers in Malaysia (bomoh) and South Africa (shaman). Secondary sources are employed to obtain relevant data for this study. The data is analyzed using qualitative approach. This study reveals that traditional healers of both countries coexist with the modern healthcare system and give support to the society by fulfilling different social responsibilities such as treating illnesses, enhancing group solidarity, appeasing spirits, protecting homes, crops as well as animals. Such healers are respected in both countries. Interestingly, patients with HIV, malaria and cancer in both countries sought assistance particularly in terms of psychological and spiritual guidance, which extends the appeal of bomoh and shaman from village folks to the urbanites. Bomoh and shaman are categorized under different specialization, skills, services and accessibility which attracted different patients. However, South Africa institutionalizes traditional healers by establishing several registered organizations and laws, which are not typical in Malaysia due to its religious understanding. Thus, the position of a shaman in South Africa is more socially recognized compared to the bomoh in Malaysia. In short, the beliefs and practices of bomoh and shaman are considered as an integral part of the people and society in both countries; making them relevant until today. Keywords: traditional healers, Malaysia, Africa, beliefs, illness, Islam 2015-12-07 Conference or Workshop Item REM application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/1/ABSTRACT_TRADITIONAL_HEALERS.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/4/49253-program.pdf Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura (2015) One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers. In: One Day Conference on Africa (ICAFRICA2015), 7th December 2015, IIUM Gombak. (Unpublished)
institution Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia
building IIUM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider International Islamic University Malaysia
content_source IIUM Repository (IREP)
url_provider http://irep.iium.edu.my/
language English
English
topic GN Anthropology
H10 Societies
HM621 Culture
HM711 Groups and organizations
HM826 Social institutions
spellingShingle GN Anthropology
H10 Societies
HM621 Culture
HM711 Groups and organizations
HM826 Social institutions
Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura
One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
description Traditional healers are widely accepted by traditional societies but literature shows that they are extensively employed by the urban people of Malaysia and South Africa. Traditional healers, including witchcraft practitioners and spirit owners have a connection with cultural beliefs and illness irrespective of their socio-cultural background. This study attempts to identify the beliefs and practices of traditional healers in Malaysia (bomoh) and South Africa (shaman). Secondary sources are employed to obtain relevant data for this study. The data is analyzed using qualitative approach. This study reveals that traditional healers of both countries coexist with the modern healthcare system and give support to the society by fulfilling different social responsibilities such as treating illnesses, enhancing group solidarity, appeasing spirits, protecting homes, crops as well as animals. Such healers are respected in both countries. Interestingly, patients with HIV, malaria and cancer in both countries sought assistance particularly in terms of psychological and spiritual guidance, which extends the appeal of bomoh and shaman from village folks to the urbanites. Bomoh and shaman are categorized under different specialization, skills, services and accessibility which attracted different patients. However, South Africa institutionalizes traditional healers by establishing several registered organizations and laws, which are not typical in Malaysia due to its religious understanding. Thus, the position of a shaman in South Africa is more socially recognized compared to the bomoh in Malaysia. In short, the beliefs and practices of bomoh and shaman are considered as an integral part of the people and society in both countries; making them relevant until today. Keywords: traditional healers, Malaysia, Africa, beliefs, illness, Islam
format Conference or Workshop Item
author Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura
author_facet Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura
author_sort Mohamad Diah, Nurazzura
title One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
title_short One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
title_full One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
title_fullStr One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
title_full_unstemmed One common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of Malaysia and South Africa traditional healers
title_sort one common world, two different stories: the beliefs and practices of malaysia and south africa traditional healers
publishDate 2015
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/1/ABSTRACT_TRADITIONAL_HEALERS.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/4/49253-program.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/49253/
_version_ 1643613501302767616
score 13.211869

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