Friday, March 29, 2024

The Whiny Child: the Wonders of Zambian/African Traditional Medicine

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Introduction

Since this author was a child in the mid-1950s growing up in the Zambian/ African village, traditional African medicine has always fascinated him. This fascination is not because of mere academic curiosity but because he witnessed the traditional medicine treat and cure some of the most serious chronic diseases and illnesses in himself and among close family members. Since the early 1990s he has also read a great deal about the immune system and how historically viral, bacterial, parasites, HIV/AIDS and other epidemics have been transmitted among human civilizations and populations stretching over thousands of years. His interest in the changing nature of Zambian or African traditional medicine inspired him so much that he actually conducted formal research into the topic in 2002. The research was among the Tumbuka people of Lundazi District in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Some of the findings from the study are in this publication. http://www.hungerforculture.com/?page_id=354 Some of the findings are in this book https://www.amazon.com/Satisfying-Zambian-Hunger-Culture-Social/dp/1479702099

He has just began to compile and analyze more findings from his research notes from 2002. This is one of the series of reports that will soon be published exclusively on the “Hunger for Culture” web page.

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Wonders of the Sokolowe Tree

In the Zambian traditional society, a mother might be 2 to 3 months pregnant and has a child who has been weaned. The child cries and whines a lot. The child acts really spoiled and is very clingy to the mother. The mother will consult an elderly person or a traditional healer or ng’anga about the problem. The ng’anga or the village elder might prescribe the roots of theSokolowe tree. The tree bears fruits that people eat. You dig the Sokolowe tree and get the roots. Soak the roots in water.

Use the herbs to cook the nshima Zambian traditional staple meal. The mother will serve the nshima to the child while the child is sitting with siblings and the child’s friends on the chitenje cloth the mother uses for carrying the baby on the back. This cloth is called nguwo.  Semen among the Tumbuka, Chewa and Ngoni is also called nguwo. They will all eat the nshima together. After that the child will no longer cry, whine unnecessarily and be bothersome. The child will enjoy playing with siblings and friends all day.

This is one among dozens of traditional ways in which herbs and rituals were used for the betterment of the individuals in the community. A full detailed report is exclusively available here. http://www.hungerforculture.com/?p=1678

 

by

Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D.

Professor of Sociology

18 COMMENTS

    • Primitive English belief and is what has made pipo like you not advancing in life and always look at the mouth of an English Man for your survival ……. be original my brother it is not a mistake that God Gave every thing that surrounds you it is for your survival in life

    • Interesting article and some amazing citations. Made me realize the gaps we have in our societies and how much is there to be done. The Cited article by Dr Mwizenge Tembo has very good point. I encourgae you all to click on the link and read..

      Well done and lovely write-up.

    • Like seriously? Brainwashed much? In your World, the whiteman and blond Jesus reign supreme! Please, some of us still believe in the positive aspects of our culture. Learn to read to learn.

    • Anonymous: What do you call primitive and why? How do you know African beliefs are primitive? Are you sure that we Africans are backwards? How do you know? Where does your knowledge come from? If you are African, why are you demeaning yourself? Did someone tell you Africans are backwards?

  1. In southern regions of Malawi, it’s traditional for girls to be made to have sex with a paid sex worker (AN OLD MAN) known as a “hyena” once they reach puberty. The act is not seen by village elders as r a p e, but as a form of “traditional ritual cleansing”.
    THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW PRIMITIVE AND BACKWARDS YOU ARE Anzeru a Kumawa!!!

    • I doubt the author is advocating for harmful traditional practices but then again, some of you only see what you want to see. Sad!

    • Meanwhile: Are you sure this is a very common practice in the whole of Southern Region of Malawi? I would never advocate bad things in our culture. Many aspects of our culture make us strong and responsible people. This is why I wrote the book: Satisfying Zambian Hunger for Culture. This book celebrates our African or Zambian culture.

  2. (Gukuna Imishino)
    Elongation of the Labia Minora: A Violation of women’s bodily autonomy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    “Girls who do not stretch their labia minora never get married.”
    WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! IF ANYTHING; GIRLS ONLY LEARN HOW TO BECOME SEX MANIACS

    Pulling the labia minora is taught to many young girls in Zambia at puberty or even before puberty for the purpose of enhancing a man’s sexual pleasure and this is based on the belief that elongated labia minora increase pleasure for both a man and woman….. SOME ZAMBIAN WOMEN ABORAD ARE NOW GOING FOR OPERATIONS TO CUT OFF THE EXTRA BITS!

  3. The elongation of the labia minora is just as bad as female genital mutilation! A woman should just be allowed to be.

  4. Africans needs to grow out of these sheepish superstitions.

    Africans needs to stop being Afraid of imaginary foes.

    Africans needs to out grow the unjust lynching of old men and women and even little children with the tag of witches and vibanda.

    Africans needs to stop regarding little illnesses to be attacks by demons.

    Africans should outgrow *****ic fear of terming owls witches when they cry at night

    Africans needs to stop regarding convulsions to be demonic possessions.

    Africans needs to stop pointing at rats running about the room to be witches

    Africans needs to outgrow blaming an imaginary succubus and incubus for sleep paralysis.

    Africans simply needs to outgrow sheepish baseless superstitions that are only products of their own fears and unbalanced mind…

    • Konga: You have written ideas that sound very strong and clear. You appear very confident that Africans really have all these “*****ic” beliefs and baseless superstitions. Where did you get all this knowledge from? How do you know all of this? What is the source of your knowledge? If you are an African, why do you appear to put down Africans and yourself? If you are non-African, are you just putting down Africans for no food reason? What is the purpose of these negative statements?

  5. Africans needs to grow out of these sheepish superstitions.

    Africans needs to stop being Afraid of imaginary foes.

    Africans needs to out grow the unjust lynching of old men and women and even little children with the tag of witches and v ib a n d a.

    Africans needs to stop regarding little illnesses to be attacks by demons.

    Africans should outgrow *****ic fear of terming owls witches when they cry at night

    Africans needs to stop regarding convulsions to be demonic possessions.

    Africans needs to stop pointing at rats running about the room to be witches

    Africans needs to outgrow blaming an imaginary succubus and incubus for sleep paralysis.

    Africans simply needs to outgrow sheepish baseless superstitions that are only products of their…

  6. When will africans learn one can never change an economic status by praying for it, if wishes worked we’d all be rich.

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