The Voice of the African Traditional Healer

This chapter focuses on the cultural importance, or voice, of traditional healers in sub-Saharan Africa, and as an extension, the implications that this has for educators within African settings. A central theme of the chapter is the connection among indigenous cultural communication and language sets, traditional healing, and issues of social justice; the roles of the traditional healer, or indigenous medical practitioner, and African indigenous knowledge (AIK) are emphasized, with regard to issues of educational support services, policy development, and resources. The chapter aims to promote the potential role of the traditional healer as a previously neglected and marginalized community, health, and educational broker. A background discussion of the contextual and cultural factors associated with healing practices includes definitions, history, relevance, current practices, and a review of research concerning traditional healing in sub-Saharan African countries. Reviews of the related anthropological, ethno-medical, and educational literatures are examined and explicated in light of the topic. The authors identify relevant implications for addressing social equity with respect to illness, health, and education in African settings.