Siyathwasa thina: towards the formalisation of Xhosa traditional healing through art practice

Abstract

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