Traditional Healers of South Africa - Beliefs and Tradition

Beliefs and Tradition

A sangoma is a practitioner of ngoma, a philosophy based on a belief in ancestral spirits (Zulu: amadlozi) and the practice of traditional African medicine. Sangoma perform a holistic and symbolic form of healing by drawing on the embedded beliefs of the Nguni culture who believe that ancestors in the afterlife guide and protect the living. Sangomas are called to heal, and through them it is believed that ancestors from the spirit world can give instruction and advice to heal illness, social disharmony and spiritual difficulties. Traditional healers work in a sacred healing hut or ndumba, where they believe their ancestors reside.

Sangomas believe they are able to access advice and guidance from the ancestors for their patients through possession by an ancestor, or channelling, throwing bones, or by interpreting dreams. In possession states, the sangoma works themselves into a trance through drumming, dancing and chanting, and allows their ego to step aside for an ancestor to take possession of his or her body and communicate directly with the patient, providing specific information about the problems of the patient. It can be dramatic, with the sangoma speaking in tongues, or foreign languages according to the specific ancestor, or dancing fervently beyond their stated ability.

Ancestral spirits can be the personal ancestors of the sangoma or the patient or they might be general ancestors associated with the geographic area or the community. It is believed that the spirits have the power to intervene in people's lives who work to connect the sangoma to the spirits that are acting in a manner to cause affliction. For example, a crab could be invoked as a mediator between the human world and the world of spirits because of its ability to move between the world of the land and the sea. Helping and harming spirits are believed to use the human body as a battle ground for their own conflicts. By using ngoma, the sangoma can create harmony between the spirits which results in the alleviation of the patient's suffering.

The sangoma may burn incense (like Imphepho) or sacrifice animals to please the ancestral spirits. Snuff is also used to communicate with the ancestors through prayer.