Healing Beyond the Body: Afemai Indigenous Medicine, Spirituality and the Philosophy of Holistic Healthcare

Abstract

This study explored Afemai indigenous medicine, spirituality, and holistic healthcare philosophies by positing that traditional healing among the Afemai peoples of Edo state Nigeria extend beyond treating the physical aspects of illness to include the psychological, social, spiritual and ecological. In the Afemai worldview health is defined as being in harmony with oneself, others and the spiritual realm/natural environment. Therefore, when individuals are unwell, they are often experiencing a disconnection from these three realms. The study presents a qualitative analysis of the Afemai peoples indigenous healing methods such as herbal remedies, traditional bone-setting, divining, spiritual therapies, and traditional midwife care. The study's qualitative methodology used ethnographic studies, phenomenological interpretations and historical analyses to explore the philosophical underpinnings of Afemai indigenous health care. The study demonstrates that Afemai indigenous medicine is grounded in a holistic model of healthcare that understands body, mind, spirit, communities and nature as interdependent. The study suggested that despite threats from Westernization, modernization, western science and western regulatory agencies, indigenous healing methods continue to have relevance to current debates about African bioethics; integrative medicine; and culturally competent and responsive healthcare.

Keywords: Afemai indigenous medicine; traditional healing; holistic healthcare; African indigenous knowledge; bioethics.