Challenges of African Traditional Medicines: Experiences of the Sukuma of Mwanza Rural Areas-Tanzania, 1920s-1980s

Abstract

Traditional medicine incorporates knowledge, skills, and methods from the beliefs, life experiences, and theories of indigenous people or communities from different cultural backgrounds. It is employed to prevent, detect, mitigate, or treat mental and physical illnesses to maintain well-being. This paper examined the Challenges of African Traditional Medicines: Experiences of the Sukuma of Mwanza Rural areas-Tanzania, 1920s-1980s. The paper's main objective was to critically analyze the challenges faced by traditional medicine and healing practices among the Sukuma. Themes, including ecological perspective, policy adherence, and socio-economic setup, were studied under this objective. The study was conducted at the localities of Butimba and Misungwi and was based in rural Mwanza. It approached its subject matter with an interpretive, naturalistic approach using qualitative and quantitative methods. Materials from archives were also used. Results showed that adverse colonial and post-colonial government regulations and legislation, changing climate patterns, and unfavorable public opinion all contributed significantly to the deoxygenation of traditional medicine lifespan in the Butimba and Misungwi localities. It was concluded that colonialism, Westernization, and religion, as well as global capitalism, have had a detrimental impact on the traditional healing practices in Butimba and Misungwi localities based in Mwanza and throughout Africa.