This research investigated the possibility of harmonising Western medicine with
traditional African healing practices. It sheds light on their similarities and calls
for a complementary role rather than an oppositional role between the two. It
asserts that the indigenous Xhosa healers who attained their healing skills
through the process of ukuthwasa undergo transformative training for a period of
time, under the supervision of a qualified traditional healer, called Igqirha in
isiXhosa and Isangoma in isiZulu. Ukuthwasa is both an isiXhosa and isiZulu
term, and it refers to the transformation process traditional healers undertake and
means “spiritual emergence” or “to emerge as a healer”. Siyathwasa Thina
means “we are called to practice as healers through spiritual emergence”. The
study examined the historical and cultural dynamics that have shaped the
perceptions of healing in Africa, arguing that traditional healing, which is often
overlooked by proponents of Western medicine, has deep roots in African culture
and has for centuries historically served as the primary healthcare source for
many African communities. The study employed autoethnography as both a
theoretical framework and methodology, while phenomenology served as an
analysis tool, enabling the researcher to weave personal narratives into the
academic discourse. It culminated in an exhibition that showcased the works of
practising artists, whose works extol the indigenous knowledge system. An
exhibition entitled "Vumani…Siyavuma", was a visual manifestation of ukuthwasa
practice, illustrating the spiritual emergence process and the cultural significance
of traditional healing. The research advocated for a more inclusive approach to
healthcare that honours the rich traditions of healing of indigenous communities
and the global peripheral cultures, while embracing Western medicinal
advancements.
Olu phandolwazi luphande ukuba nokwenzeka kokudityaniswa kwamayeza
aseNtshona kunye neendlela zokunyanga zesintu zaseAfrika. Lucacisa ukufana
kwezi ndlela zimbini zokunyanga kwaye lubonisa ukusebenza kwazo
ngokuhambelanayo kunokuchasana kwazo. Luchaza abanyangi besintu
abangamaXhosa abathe bazuza isakhono sabo sokunyanga ngokwenkqubo
yokuthwasa abafumana uqeqesho lwenguqu kangangexesha elithile phantsi
kweliso lomnyangi wesintu oqeqeshiweyo obizwa ngokuba liGqirha ngesiXhosa
aze abe siSangoma ngesiZulu. Ukuthwasa ligama lesiXhosa nelesiZulu, kwaye
libhekisa kwinkqubo yenguqu eyenziwa ngabanyangi besintu kwaye lithetha
“ukuzalwa ngokutsha ngokwasemoyeni” okanye “ukuba ngumnyangi”.
USiyathwasa Thina uthetha ukuthi “sinobizo lokubangabanyangi ngokuzalwa
ngokutsha ube ngumnyangi ngokwasemoyeni”. Olu phandolwazi luphicothe
iinguqu zembali nezenkcubeko eziye zakhokela iingcamango zokuphilisa eAfrika,
ezixoxa ukuba ukunyanga kwesintu, okuhlala kungahoywa ngabaxhasi
bokunyanga kwaseNtshona, okunemvelaphi enzulu kwinkcubeko yaseAfrika
kwaye kudala kwiinkulungwane zembali kusebenza nanjengomthombo ophambili
wokunakekelwa kwezempilo kwiindawo ezininzi zaseAfrika. Olu phandolwazi
lusebenzise indlela yophandontyilazwi apho abaphandilwazi basebenzisa amava
abo obuqu ukuqonda imicimbi yezentlalo (i-autoethnography) nanjengesikhokelo
sengcingane kunye nesikhokelo sophando, ngelixa uphandolwazi ngokwamava
oluntu kwezentlalo lusebenze nanjengesixhobo sokuhlalutya, esivumela
umphandilwazi ukuba adibanise amabali akhe kwintetho neengxoxo
kwezemfundo. Lufikelele kwinqanaba lomboniso obubonisa imisebenzi
yamagcisa asebenza ngezandla, anemisebenzi yawo ephakamisa inkqubo
yolwazi lwemveli. Umboniso onesihloko esithi "Vumani…Siyavuma",
ibingumboniso obonakalayo womsebenzi wokuthwasa, obonisa inkqubo
yokuzalwa ngokutsha ngokwasemoyeni kunye nokubaluleka kwenkcubeko
yokunyanga ngokwesintu. Olu phandolwazi belukhuthaza indlela ebandakanya
ngakumbi ukhathalelo lwempilo oluhlonipha izithethe eziphucukileyo zokuphilisa
uluntu lwemveli kunye neenkcubeko zamazwe asakhulayo ehlabathi, ngelixa
lusamkela inkqubela phambili yamayeza aseNtshona.
Nyakišišo ye e nyakišišitše kgonagalo ya go kopantšha bongaka bja Bodikela le
mekgwa ya setšo ya phodišo ya Afrika. E fa tshedimošo ka ga ditshwano tša tšona
gomme e šišinya karolo ya tlaleletšo go e na le karolo ya kganetšo gare ga bobedi
bjo. E tiišetša gore dingaka tša setlogo tša Mathosa tšeo di fihleletšego bokgoni
bja tšona bja go fodiša ka tshepedišo ya ukuthwasa di tsenela tlhahlo ya phetogo
ka nako e itšego, ka fase ga tlhokomelo ya ngaka ya setšo yeo e nago le
maswanedi, yeo e bitšwago Igqirha ka Sethosa le Isangoma ka Sezulu.
Ukuthwasa ke bobedi lereo la Sethosa le Sezulu, gomme le šupa tshepedišo ya
phetogo yeo dingaka tša setšo di e dirago gomme e ra gore “go tšwelela ga
semoya” goba “go tšwelela bjalo ka ngaka”. Siyathwasa Thina e ra gore “re
bileditšwe go hlahlwa bjalo ka dingaka tša semoya”. Nyakišišo e sekasekile
mafolofolo a histori le setšo ao a bopilego ditemogo tša phodišo mo Afrika, e
bolela gore phodišo ya setšo, yeo gantši e hlokomologwago ke bathekgi ba kalafo
ya Bodikela, e na le medu ye e tseneletšego setšong sa Afrika gomme ka
mengwagakgolo historing e šomile bjalo ka mothopo wa mathomo wa tlhokomelo
ya maphelo go ditšhaba tše ntši tša Afrika. Nyakišišo e šomišitše othoetenokrafi
bjalo ka bobedi tlhako ya teori le mokgwa wa go šoma, mola fenomelotši e šomile
bjalo ka sedirišwa sa tshekatsheko, go kgontšha monyakišiši go loga dikanegelo
tša motho ka noši polelong ya thuto. E ile ya feleletša ka pontšho yeo e
bontšhitšego mediro ya borabokgabo bao ba dirago mošomo wa bokgabo, bao
mediro ya bona e retago tshepedišo ya tsebo ya setlogo. Pontšho yeo e nago le
sehlogo se se rego “Vumani...Siyavuma”, e be e le ponagatšo ya pono ya mokgwa
wa ukuthwasa, yeo e bontšhago tshepedišo ya go tšwelela ga semoya le
bohlokwa bja setšo bja phodišo ya setšo. Dinyakišišo di thekga mokgwa wo o
akaretšago bohle wa tlhokomelo ya maphelo wo o hlomphago ditšo tše di
humilego tša phodišo ya ditšhaba tša setlogo le ditšo tša lefase ka bophara tša
ka thoko, mola o amogela tšwelopele ya kalafo ya Bodikela
