Traditional healers have encouraged Africans to embrace their cultures and customs as the first step to regaining their self worth, pride and identity.
This was said by two traditional healers after the recent heritage day celebrations were held. On this day, Africans were encouraged to associate more freely with their own cultures. Also, it was mentioned in reference to accessions that some religious and other leaders visit traditional healers at night to avoid being seen, yet they talked against such practices in public.
Nkele Mashifane and Magdeline Magaukele who are members of the city’s region E Traditional and Faith Practitioners Forum said Africans compromised themselves by shunning their own cultural practices and at times called it demonic. They said, there was evidence of its medicinal value, curing of women unable to bear children and its use in resolving social problems of families. Mashifane praised the Zulu culture as the only one that still embraced its practices fully while others despised theirs. Others shun their traditional ceremonies and are ashamed of being seen in their traditional attire. She encouraged them to know their heritage, family lineages and to give their children African names which is a practice for extending and remembering family heritage.
Magaukele said traditional practices were universal and adopting other cultures was a sign of weakness, a basis for dependency. She said many Africans adopted others cultures for commercial reasons. “This has led to the mushrooming of fake healers who demean the work of genuine practitioners in the interest of financial gain.” She added that traditional healing was an ancestral calling and its practitioners relied on being thanked for their services in whatever way by their clients. “Genuine traditional healers work is also not advertised as seen on posters and pamphlets but spread through word of mouth.”
Magaukele encouraged Africans to start restoring their culture by seeking advice from elders in their clans, learning the meaning of traditional song and dance, taking part in sacrifices and practicing mutual respect in the family and community. She said this will help to stop those with negative intentions from destroying what is left of African traditions.
