In Defence of Ancestors & Traditional Healing

As I reflected on yesterday’s public holiday it occurred to me that King Sobhuza II is one of the most celebrated ancestors of this country; within the kingdom and beyond the immediate borders for his role in the mass movement of decolonizing Africa. 

In this realization I further recognized that I’d thought of the late king as an ‘ancestor’ – something that Swazis are increasingly wary to associate with apparently because any ‘traditional’ practices and rituals related to ancestors are evil and therefore bound to cause delays on the highway to heaven.

‘Traditional’ medicine (herbal and spiritual healing) was what ALL Africans used before the colonizers that King Sobhuza II and his peers at the time eventually drove back to Europe arrived in Africa. 

But like with many other distinctly African features, we have gradually lost and shamelessly demonized and despised our ways in favor of the new ways. 

Of course, like King Sobhuza II is reported to have said himself; it’s okay to adopt new ways if they are useful but also okay to acknowledge and keep the beauty that is in our way of doing things.

For a nation that prides itself in ‘culture’, we are quite the contradiction when we speak ill of cultural events and practices including the use of herbal medicine – at least when we’re with our friends and colleagues that’s what we claim; 

“Uh no, I’d never use muti, I’m God’s child.”

This despite that even still today, medical evidence (conducted my modern scientists) shows that for at least 60 percent of the population of any African country, the first line of treatment is herbal medicine, at times received from a ‘traditional’ healer. 

Yet, because traditional healers are still not recognized by regulations in many African countries including Swaziland, they cannot issue acceptable "sick notes" that individuals can submit to employers.

In recent times however, (as of April 2014), South Africa's President signed the Traditional Health Practitioners Act, allowing traditional health practitioners to register with the Traditional Health Practitioners Council of South Africa which means they can now issue acceptable "sick notes" to clients.

As for me, ‘traditional’ medicine saved my life… many times as an adult; without even touching a grain of it. My first encounter, which I recall vividly, was during my second year of study at UNISWA. 

That evening umutsi saved me from my friend’s violent boyfriend as he held me by the throat for allegedly being a bad influence on his Fro; “Wenta njena ngoba uyati utsembe lomutsi waBab’ wakho”[You know I can’t do anything to you because your father and his lethal muti…]. 

I heard this line again a few years later in 2003 from some stupidly angry girl who came to my work place to report me to my boss for stealing her man. I mean? Anyway, that’s when I decided I’d own this umutsi deal and use it as a weapon because clearly it was life-saving.

And even though this was what I’d decided, I, like many colonized Africans was skeptical of using umutsi. This despite that I recall my father burning impepho for us a day before my first ever day of school in grade one. 

I remember running all over the yard because he also wanted to slice us here and there to ensure we were protected when our spirits clash with those of other children at school. For years I dismissed his liking and belief in ‘these things’ on the fact that he was from rural kaHhohho. (Don’t shoot).

Above: Nokulinda Mkhize, widely known and embraced as “noksangoma” on social media graduated with a university degree in Social Science. She’s been practicing 'traditional' medicine in South Africa for over five years. This modern African woman consults with clients face-to-face or via Skype. She is also a wife and mother; married to Tim Horwood channel director at MTV Base Africa (below). and they have two children.

When a facebook friend (that I’ve still never met by the way) asked me to help direct her to a good sangoma/inyanga about two years ago, I was still skeptical about ‘traditional’ healing but I did help point her to a reputable medicine woman.[ I guess my ownership of the ‘muti deal’ in earlier years reflected on my forehead]. 

But at this juncture I was questioning many things about my existence and about humans in general so I was open to discussing all traditional forms of healing from Africa to Asia via India and back through Toronto, Canada.

When about a year ago a dear childhood friend that I used to walk to school with each and every day of my days at Sisekelo High School shared that she was in training to be a ‘traditional’ healer, I was convinced I’d let myself down all these years by being narrow-minded not just about our kind of medicine but also about who I am as an African.

My friend struggled with the notion of ancestors and traditional healing too even though the signs were always there for others to see even when she was in denial; 

“I call myself a Christian so how can I embrace the spirit of the dead? Is it possible that my forefathers are connecting with the world today through me? I feel something, I sense something. Could it be my mind is playing tricks on me? After all, I've recently been stressed. I'm confused and scared. But it's about time I sought for answers in our traditional ways of connecting with our forefathers. Yes it's about time I allowed lidloti lami to speak”, she said.

I think she sums it up nicely – ancestors are part of our family traditions and they live through us, whether we honor them with rituals or not. 

What we know of today’s world, the good, the bad and the ugly, is given to us by our ancestors, including Jesus, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Melika Vilakati, and Patrice Lumumba amongst others. 

In defence of these leaders, can we give a little respect to ourselves for being heirs of great ancestors and practices?

And so if you bump into me at the residence of your local medicine (wo)man, smile, wave and let’s take a selfie, deal?