In this essay I will look at the medical system of the people of Kongo in Lower Zaire. My account is based on the fieldwork done by John M. Janzen among the BaKongo in the late 60s, early 70s. He offers a concrete description of six cases and examines them.
I chose a typical case of these, namely patient Lwezi. Diagnosis and treatment of a BaKongo patient are skillfully directed by the institution of therapy management group, a group made up of the kin of the patient, which takes care of the well-being of the ill. This institution is strongly influenced by the cosmology of the BaKongo and is vital for the therapy. The major features in Lwezi's healing-process were the therapy management group, the paternal blessing and the payment of the bride price, each of which I will refer to in the following sections.
Many people think that the healing practices of traditional societies are irrational, but I will show that for the BaKongo medical practices must engage with the supernatural in order to guarantee healing. To anthropologists and many non-BaKongo, the medical system in Lower Zaire appears to consist of various medical traditions, be it the traditional BaKongo therapies or the Western conventional medicine.
The general perception is that the latter is not only universally applicable but might eventually replace traditional medical practices. I will show that only by taking into account the BaKongo way of healing, especially the therapy management group with its unique perception of illness and healing, is successful cure of these people possible.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Setting the Scene: The BaKongo in Lower Zaire
2. The case of Lwezi
2.1 Lwezi’s pregnancy and marriage
2.2 Ten Different Healers Consulted
3. Medical System of the BaKongo
3.1 BaKongo Concept of Illness Causality and Diagnosis
3.1.1 Therapy Management Group
3.1.2 Illness of God - Illness of Human Origin
3.1.3 Divination and Diagnosis as Rituals
3.1.4 Drum-Therapies (ngoma)
3.2 BaKongo Healers
3.2.1 Bayindula
3.2.2 Mama Marie Kukunda
3.2.3 Luamba Zablon
4. Medical Knowledge of Preindustrial Peoples and of the Western World
4.1 Western medicine
4.2 The Role of Medical Missionaries
5. Theological Reflection: The Paternal Blessing
5.1 Creation Theology
5.2 Sacramental Theology - Nuptial Blessing
5.3 Spirituality - Dynamic Image of God
5.4 Liturgical Theology
5.5 Moral Theology
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary research objective is to examine the BaKongo medical system, specifically focusing on the interaction between traditional ritual healing practices and Western biomedical interventions, using the case of a patient named Lwezi to demonstrate the necessity of a culturally and religiously integrated approach to healing.
- The structure and function of the "therapy management group" within BaKongo society.
- The impact of cosmology and religious beliefs on illness perception and diagnosis.
- The role of the paternal blessing in the healing process and its theological implications.
- The coexistence and potential complementarity of traditional BaKongo healing and Western medical practices.
- Critique of medical missionary approaches and the need for inculturation.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 Therapy Management Group
The therapy management group decides on the treatment and seeks to deal with conflicts and the disequilibrium in the community with the hope of reintegrating the afflicted individual into the group and to re-establish its identity. This way of diagnosis is an essential feature of Kongo therapy. It has been variously identified. Kongo psychiatrist Bazinga's term calls it the 'triangle of truth.' Bazinga brings to attention the relationship between the sick and their friends and antagonists, who in turn have a relationship with each other. He writes:
Only by discerning such a triangle in its totality can one avoid getting caught in society's 'traps.' . . Therapy in the 'triangle of truth' confronts role contradictions playing upon individuals and groups. The most serious contradictions derive from modern conditions of labor migration, distribution of wages, and sources of prestige, which divide families on a host of daily issues in Zairian life.
Most of Lwezi's problems derived from the rural population imbalance due to labor migration. Large numbers of BaKongo people left for the urban centres, Brazzaville being one of them. Lwezi’s maternal uncle and aunt lived there. Through them she met her suitor, an encounter which had serious consequences. Health problems arising in such cases can be resolved on an individual basis, but unfortunately as seen with Lwezi, these resurfaced at a later stage. Yet, temporary therapy granted her some relief. Her story with the involved therapy management group has been described as a highly esteemed account in which the family plays an important role in managing the patient and the affliction as well as its causation.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The author introduces the conflict between Western biomedical approaches and traditional healing, establishing the case of Lwezi among the BaKongo as a focus to argue for complementary, culturally integrated healing.
1. Setting the Scene: The BaKongo in Lower Zaire: This chapter provides the ethnographic context of the BaKongo people and defines the medical system as a pluralistic environment where various healing traditions coexist.
2. The case of Lwezi: The author details the specific case history of patient Lwezi, illustrating her prolonged illness, the various healers consulted, and the complex social dynamics of her therapy management group.
3. Medical System of the BaKongo: This central section analyzes the BaKongo concepts of illness causality, the function of the therapy management group, and the diverse roles of indigenous healers within their cosmology.
4. Medical Knowledge of Preindustrial Peoples and of the Western World: The author draws comparisons between Western medicine's focus on clinical symptoms and traditional systems' focus on social and spiritual relationships, suggesting models for future integration.
5. Theological Reflection: The Paternal Blessing: This chapter provides a theological analysis of the paternal blessing in Lwezi's case, linking BaKongo customs to Christian concepts of grace, creation, and matrimonial sacramentality.
6. Conclusion: The author reflects on the findings, confirming that illness and healing are inseparable from social, cosmological, and ritual contexts, and advocating for a more collaborative role for medical missionaries.
Keywords
BaKongo, medical pluralism, therapy management group, traditional healing, Western medicine, illness causality, paternal blessing, cosmology, ritual, inculturation, medical missionaries, ethnomedicine, divination, Lwezi, Kongo religion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the medical system of the BaKongo in Lower Zaire, focusing on how patients navigate both traditional ritual healing and Western medicine.
What are the central thematic fields covered in the text?
The main themes include cultural anthropology, medical pluralism, the sociology of the family, traditional African healing, and theological reflections on culture and faith.
What is the primary research goal or question?
The goal is to demonstrate that traditional BaKongo healing practices are not irrational, but are sophisticated systems integrated into the social, moral, and cosmological fabric of the people, making them valuable partners to conventional medicine.
Which scientific methodology does the author apply?
The author utilizes a qualitative, ethnographic case study approach, analyzing fieldwork recorded by John M. Janzen and applying anthropological and theological interpretive frameworks.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the structure of the therapy management group, different types of traditional healers, the role of indigenous cosmology in illness, and a critical look at how Western medicine interacts with these traditional systems.
What key concepts define the study?
Key concepts include medical pluralism, the "triangle of truth" in diagnosis, the role of the therapy management group, the paternal blessing, and the necessity of inculturation in medical mission work.
How does the "therapy management group" function in Lwezi's case?
This group, composed of the patient's kin, serves as a decision-making body that interprets symptoms, manages conflicts, and coordinates consultations with both Western clinicians and traditional healers to restore community harmony.
What is the significance of the paternal blessing in the text?
The paternal blessing is identified as the key to Lwezi's recovery, as its absence due to unresolved marriage arrangements and unpaid bride price was seen by the BaKongo as the underlying cause of her social and physical illness.
How does the author critique medical missionaries?
The author argues that many missionaries have historically lacked understanding of local cosmology and suggests they should shift from exclusively practicing pharmaceutical medicine to adopting an advisory and facilitating role that respects indigenous traditions.
- Citation du texte
- Regina Reinart (Auteur), 2000, Healing and Religion in Africa. Therapy Management Group and Cosmology Among the BaKongo, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/888619
