Dealing with Disorder

Traditional and Western Medicine in Katutura (Namibia)

Author: Debie LeBeau. Series edited by: Wilfrid H.G. Haacke.

Series: NAS Namibian African Studies Volume 6

The present study points out the traditional and western Public Health in the Namibian township Katutura near Windhoek. Because of its multiculturality and the disposability of both western and of diverse traditional methods of treatment, the author has the possibility to carry out comparative investigations.

Based on her dissertation (2000, PhD thesis, Rhodes University, Grahamstown / Republic of South Africa) and the corresponding field studies, Debie LeBeau works out qualitative and quantitative sources in her work. Apart from western medical scientists and traditional healers also several patients acted as her informants which reported their experiences with both health systems.

The book contains a detailed description of the socio-cultural background of Katutura and Namibia and examines thoroughly both the behaviour of the patient against the two possible health systems and the social and spiritual background of the deseases.

In the extensive appendices the methods of research are described, seven traditional healers are introduced, an interview with inhabitants of Katutura is documented and case studies about the application of traditional medicine are presented.

Under these links you will find further studies of  traditional beliefs and healing practices in Africa and Asia:

Accompanying material:

• Alltägliche Zauberei (ISBN 978-3-89645-310-5)
• Ein Heilungsritual der Dama, Südwestafrika/Namibia (ISBN 978-3-89645-351-8)
• Khoisan Medicine in History and Practice (ISBN 978-3-89645-148-4)
• Maasai Diviners and Christianity (ISBN 978-3-89645-761-5)
• Medicine Experts of the |Xam San (ISBN 978-3-89645-147-7)

Cross-reference:

• Hexenjagd und Aufklärung in Ghana (ISBN 978-3-89645-909-1)
• Man and Health in the Lake Chad Basin / L’homme et la santé dans le bassin du lac Tchad (ISBN 978-3-89645-897-1)
• Religion und Heilkunst der Toba-Batak auf Sumatra (ISBN 978-3-89645-445-4)
• Sie kamen als Forscher und Ärzte ... (ISBN 978-3-89645-228-3)
• The |Xam and the Rain (ISBN 978-3-89645-866-7)
• Voices of Affliction (ISBN 978-3-89645-245-0)

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