World History through Case Studies by Dave Eaton

Author:Dave Eaton [Eaton, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Historiography, World, General
ISBN: 9781350042629
Google: e3auDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-09-19T03:43:32+00:00

Figure 12.1 A statue of the Virgin of Regla is carried through the streets of Havana in 2018. This Catholic saint is also recognized by Santería worshippers as Yemaya, a female orisa linked to fertility and water. Courtesy of Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photos via Getty Images.

The final reason for giving orisa worship a larger role in world history is its continuing relevance today. One aspect of this lies in its innovative healing techniques, which were frequently a key part of a babalawo’s craft. Using a wide array of leaves, roots, and barks, babalawo created numerous treatments for routine illnesses that are still being researched today.26 This pharmacopeia was often linked to the worship of Orisa-Oko, the god of the natural world, and in many cases the remedies provided by the babalawo had to be activated through specific incantations done by the patient at home. These instructions would be discussed between patient and priest, and would invoke past deities, spirits, or ancestors who suffered from a similar malady. The natural remedies often possess remarkable powers, and divination “is a means by which practitioners diagnose past, present, and future issues—physical, mental, spiritual—much as a physician uses questionnaires.”27 An estimated 80 percent of sub-Saharan Africans rely on traditional healers for their primary health care. Accurately assessing what this care involves is a worthy goal in its own right.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.