Traditional Medicines in Tanzania

Running Head: Traditional Medicine
Traditional Medicines in Tanzania
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

Traditional Medicines in Tanzania1
Background
The assignment is based on the article- “The modern traditional healer: Locating
‘hybridity’ in modern traditional medicine, southern Tanzania”, which is written by Rebecca
Marsland. The author is senior lecturer in the University of Edinburgh. The article was
published by Taylor & Francis, Ltd. With the collaboration of JSTOR and the article can be
accessed to Journal of Southern African Studies.
Summary of the article
The article is based on the use of traditional medicines in the treatment of patient in
southern Tanzania of Arica. Usage of the traditional healer and the modernisation of those
medicines and the applications of the medications among the patient population have been
addressed in the article . The article also focuses on the socio economic factor regarding
usage and application of medication. The research for this article has been done in the Kyela
District of South Tanzania. The article has discussed about the intentional hybridity and all
variety of technique for indigenous healing techniques. The medicinal practices with the
related boundary and limitations have been analysed in the article with different practical
instances. The article has also discussed about competition of traditional healers with the
government acclaimed biomedical practitioners and missionary medicines. Initiatives of local
governments and the policies introduced by the government to reduce the practice of
witchcraft related illness have been considered in the article. The alternative medicines of
Chinese tradition and Islamic beliefs have been discussed with the reference of African
socialism and medicinal dualism in the context of South Tanzania. The political and
ideological agendas to retain the tradition can be observed over 40 years in African
society .This article mostly focuses on Waganga population in the Eastern Region of Africa.

Traditional Medicines in Tanzania2
Beliefs and practices associated with the region are occupied a major part of this article. The
researcher took interview of different patients and clinicians from both traditional and
modern medicinal field of expertise. Every responses (which are mentioned in article) has
reflected different social and psychological beliefs of the people of Kyle district. They
consider traditional medicines as the best way of treatment and in this entire article,
importance of modern medicines have been discussed compared to the other medical
practices in South Tanzania. The author conducted the research in Kyela with the help of
members of CHAWATIATA- a national organisation of traditional healers. They organised a
drama which helped the author to understand the culture of waganga people. This research
shows that declined condition of health sector of Kyela. Cultural activity and social factors
are some determinants for clinical service. Traditional thoughts discriminates medical
systems in two ways such as modernity and traditional. In the Tanzanian society, Christianity
is directly related to the modern biomedical implementation among the population of South
Tanzania. Societal and religious discriminations in the field of bio-medics have been
highlighted. Business oriented approach for the biomedical and clinical implementations of
the practitioners of waganga has been described in the article (p. 754). Business-oriented and
commercial improvisations are prevalent among the waganga culture. They showed interests
to learn new techniques and approaches related to the modern biomedical technologies.
Evaluation of the article
The purpose of the author was to assess to dualism of biomedicines and transition of
usage of traditional medicines and conservations of the healers and destabilisation of the
boundaries. The intentional hybridity of traditional medicines with modernised techniques
increase the possibility and acceptance of medicines in treating the patients. The researcher
aims to determine the current health and medical state of the patients from waganga
population with reference of “modernisation theory’’ and socialism of Africa (p. 753 ).