Masculinity and Modern Slavery in Nepal by Matthew Maycock

Author:Matthew Maycock [Maycock, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Gender Studies, Developing & Emerging Countries, Slavery
ISBN: 9781351398404
Google: IgF-DwAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 39824673
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2018-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Masculinity, religion and health: the Guruwa

Here I consider the Guruwa and the ways in which this gender-specific role consolidates the perspective outlined in the section above: i.e. that age produces certain forms of embodied masculinities (in this instance through religious practice). The Guruwa have been part of Tharu society for as long as anyone could remember in either basti with various edicts referring to their role as far back as 1807 (Krauskopff and Meyer 2000: 160). Whether they should be considered as shamans, traditional healers or priests is not clear, as at different times they seem to undertake parts of each of these roles.

The Guruwa are always male and always elderly because, as an elderly man in Kampur basti told me; ‘All the Guruwa are men, as men are good at this. Look at the pharmacist, too.’ This points to a significant continuity of gender-specific roles of authority, across various forms of medicine. The majority of the bastis and Tharu villages that I visited in Kailali had at least one Guruwa, and each of the bastis had one. In both instances, these were elderly men who were accorded a certain level of respect in each setting due to their knowledge of spiritual and health matters. The wider Tharu community often referred to the Guruwas’ knowledge of traditional Tharu customs, as being highly knowledgeable about such customs was a central part of their role. This was respected in each basti, particularly given the recent revival of pride in traditional Tharu customs resulting from the Tharuhat movement. Guruwa are rarely involved in politics as such matters are seen as incompatible with their focus on health and spiritual concerns.

Guruwa are mainly consulted about health matters, but occasionally they also advise about spiritual issues or concerns relating to Tharu culture. According to Guneratne:

The Guruwa is essentially a healer. When Tharus wish to draw an analogy between the Guruwa and a contemporary institution, they invariably compare him to a medical doctor.

(Guneratne 1999b: 12)

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