A new perspective on Traditional Healing in Namibia

Luca MilanesiTraditional healing and traditional healers are a controversial topic for some in Namibia due to the conflicting values taught through Christianity, but Mukwaita Wa Mnadjanima is looking to change this. The 26-year-old traditional healer was born and raised in Northern Wambaland in a Christian family. Once he had completed school he moved to Windhoek to study film and TV, but eventually worked in advertising for 3 years before realising his calling to traditional healing. He says he first realised his calling through his ancestors, who appeared to him in dreams and visions. When speaking of his time studying he says that he felt “unsettled and unwell”, especially spiritually, yet once he started his transition in Northern Wambaland he began to feel more at ease. Once he had started his transition, he moved to South Africa to complete his traditional studies, and 9 months later returned to Windhoek as a traditional healer. In a traditional healing seminar on the 29th of November, he elaborated on the significance of this: “the process of transitioning to a traditional healer allowed me to reconnect with my African spirituality, and brought me peace”. Mukwaita speaks very passionately of his new profession, and discussed some of the issues of being a traditional healer in Namibia. The vision of Mukwaita“I feel like traditional healers in Namibia are extremely misunderstood. Through colonialism and the spreading of Christianity in Namibia, I feel like people have gotten to the point where they no longer understand what traditional healing actually entails”. Beyond being able to assist in curing certain physical ailments and psychological issues, he believes that traditional healing is a way for Africans to get in touch with their spirituality. “I believe my calling has to do with educating people on who they are and reconnecting them with their traditional heritage and spirituality”. The connection between a person and their ancestors, he says, can have an impact on how the person acts, the decisions they make and how they see themselves.Mukwaita often speaks through metaphors, which mostly have to do with the Christian faith he grew up with. He believes that the ancestors in traditional practices are much like angels in Christianity, who are believed to watch over a person and guide them through life. He continues to say that he hopes to host and create informal forums and methods of communication and dialogue, much like his ancestors teaching under the shade of a tree, in order to discuss and educate people on his practices and beliefs, centred around philosophical thought and discussion.These sentiments were shared by some of the people who also attended the seminar. Trixie Munyama, a local artist, and Hazel Hinda, well known Namibian actress, have both known Mukwaita since he was younger. They believe that “traditional healing brings an African perspective to a Christian country in Africa” and believe that Mukwaita brings a new perspective to traditional healing. “The mind is always looking to challenge things that have been previously accepted” elaborated Hazel. She believes that many Africans have forgotten their heritage in the face of colonial influences, and she is seeking to reconnect with hers. Trixie on the other hand has only praise for the message that Mukwaita is looking to spread, “he brings a new perspective to a secretive practice. He is debunking these practices, and for him to be so open about it, and transition so openly, is a truly revolutionary act”.The future of Traditional HealingMukwaita says he hopes to see a regulatory body set up, with government approval and assistance, in order to give credibility to traditional healers. “The spirits work in many different ways, but a governing body where traditional practitioners could be registered in a government database would validate our practices and help expose fake practitioners”, he explains. This would also allow any patients to voice complaints and grievances they may have, much like the Traditional Health Practitioners Council of South Africa. The Zone reached out to the Health Professionals Council of Namibia (HPCNA) for comment on the state of such a body, but they declined to give an interview or comment. The youth factorsThe Zone managed to speak to some students at a local high school, about attitudes towards traditional healers. One of the high school learners, Tareekuje Kavezeri, mentioned that she had visited a traditional healer we she was ill, but the results were underwhelming. “I think he wanted revenge and I almost died as a result. Only when I went to the doctor did I start to get better, I would never go back”. This sentiment is shared by the other students as well. Gift Uariva, Martha Shipanga and Utjenere Mbura all agreed that they would not go to a traditional healer as they believed “they make things worse” and that “they do fake things to make money”. This was particularly interesting to note, as Eerike had also mentioned that “I would become a traditional healer if I got good money, but eventually someone may find out that it is fake, and I could get arrested”. This comes after 3 more conmen were arrested in July in Khomasdal for posing as Traditional Healers with the intent of defrauding the public. The three were charged with fraud and theft under false pretences as well as endangering the safety of the public, among other charges. In response to these incidents and the opinions of the youth, Mukwaita stressed that he seeks to unify traditional practices and western medicinal practices in order to promote the wholistic wellbeing of a person, i.e. both physically and spiritually. He points to a case where a man came to him seeking help from substance abuse. Mukwaita identified that the cause of this abuse must be spiritual, but that the man needed professional medical help, and thus he advised him to go to a rehabilitation centre. In accordance with this, Mukwaita says he hopes to further his studies by studying Psychology, so that he may provide both traditional and western methods in helping his clients. While concluding the interview, Mukwaita said that he had one more message to share “I would like to address the issue of fear, when seeing a traditional healer. I see it as being the fear of the self, the ‘African self’ and recognising ones’ own identity and heritage, because that is what I aim to do”. Fact Box: 1. Traditional Healers can train for anything from 9 months to 2 years to qualify as a traditional practitioner2. One can only start the transition to becoming a practitioner if one has a calling. 3. There are many different aspects to traditional healing, some claim to have the power of vision, others specialise as herbalists or even as educators.4. Sexuality plays a large role in traditional healing, as healers believe the ancestors can impact your desires and actions, and can portray themselves through you. 5. Ones’ sexual orientation plays no role in whether one can become a traditional practitioner or not. 6. A younger healer may not necessarily be less powerful than an older one, age has no impact on the power of a healer, but the biggest difference comes in how that power is used, in which case older healers have more experience in how to use that power.7. Traditional practitioners aim to strengthen their ties to their ancestors through prayer and sacrifice in order to become more spiritual.8. The practice of their traditional ceremonies has very strong ties to their faith. A healer may be challenged in his faith by a client, in which case they will work to strengthen their faith so as to help their client. 9. The ability to help a client can rest heavily on the abilities of a healer, one that has a gift for seeing into a person and understanding them may not be gifted when it comes to herbal practices. 10. Traditional practitioners are able to work in harmony with western medicine. The two can work hand in hand for holistic wellbeing.

A new perspective on Traditional Healing in Namibia

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

Please login to leave a comment

A new perspective on Traditional Healing in Namibia

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

Please login to leave a comment

Login