Etiology of diseases and

Concepts of pathogenesis in
local cultures

What is life?
Upenyu/Impilo mind-soul portion of mankinds
personality
Mind=seat of the soul
Mind+soul=life, personmunhu, mumvuri/umuntu
etc
Mind-soul or cognitive processes (thinking,
perceiving, planning, deciding etc=immortal
component of life munhu haarove (the real
person or life does not perish)

Beliefs about life in African cultures

Mind-soul/cognitive processes/ represented by
the dark shadow or black shadow (Raymond
Moody (1975); Melvin Morse (1991)
Near death experiences (NDEs) Tibetan book of
the dead, Egyptian lit.
Meaning of the lingering mind-soul=lack of
peace or displeasure= a result of untimely or
accidental death
Such deaths create conflict for the mindsoul=unfinished business

An unhealthy mind-soul
Lacks peace=unhygienic
Not guided by conscience
Such a mind soul cannot reach or interact
with the creator and other mind-souls
which are guided by conscience
For readmission of the mind-soul into the
spirit world, justice must be meted out e.g
mumvuri

An healthy mind-soul

Has peace and is hygienic

No unfinished business
No mumvuri
Interacts with the creator

Creating peace through conscience

in an unhealthy mind-soul
Justice must be meted out in order to
facilitate the deceased persons mind soul
to have peace through conscience
A person must not be buried until the
mumvuri has disappeared
Disappearing of the mumvuri is
associated with separation of cognitive
processes from the influences of id

Concepts and contexts of NGOZI

Ngozi-angered/aggrieved spirit/mind-soul which
is disorientated/not at peace
Qualifies to be accepted in the spirit world as an
ancestor but cannot until justice is meted out by
the living on their behalf.
Includes mind-souls of murdered people,
accidental deaths, those dying under suspicious
circumstances
Such deaths result in restless mind-souls, in
poor health, without peace

Comparison with ghosts in Western

cultures
Ngozi beliefs are similar to ghosts in Western cultures
Ngozi spirits cause various health problems or haunting
to force family members act for justice for the deceased.
Id instincts=source of ill
Conscience=guides mind-soul to be at peace, healthy,
achieve purity; spiritual hygiene
Ngozi mind-soul needs justice for mind-soul to have
chenura/kurova guva/umbuyiso (The purification or
cleansing ceremony
If not such ceremony mind-soul goes kufiririra absolute
death, similar to going to hell.

Views about health

Health=quality of life
Life and health=tied to religious beliefs
After death=spiritual transformation
The soul=transcends from physical into the spirit world
after bodily death
Life in transformed state=exist either in ultimate wellbeing or inferior states of health
Set rules to opt for either state.
Health=reward for diligence in maintaining set rules of
moral and just behavior (conscience guided behavior)
Experiencing poor health=punishment for transgressions

The meaning of Health in local

cultures
Upenyu, hupenyu, Rupenyu/Magariro/Impilo
which means way of life
Talking about health: Makadini?
Tiriwadi=embodied in this is a sense of well
being.
Peace=good or positive well being; moral & just
behavior
Health= not only the absence of disease but a
comprehensive of the total human circumstance,
including beliefs about ones cosmic existence.
The presence of inner peace & harmony.

Health defined in Local cultures

In local cultures therefore, health refers to
bodily or physical, mind-soul, and spiritual
well-being in which conscience guides a
persons behavior or reaction to stimuli
through just and moral deeds or actions.

The Mweya (Spirit/Conscience)

and the Concept of eternal life
Spirit mweya=conscience part of personality
(super-ego by Freud)
Exerts restraint upon the mind-soul and inhibits
basic impulses of the id nyama
Mweya/consience=spiritually hygienic or
cleansing arm of personality (pure)
Purity=synonymous with absence of evil/ill
Those who maintain their behavior pure practice
spiritual hygiene & are not touched by evil/ill.

Concepts of Health + Hygiene in

Zimbabwean African cultures
All people contemplate death, hold beliefs about
life after physical existence
Others believe in total obliteration
Belief in spiritual transformation
Life is either in form of ultimate well-being or
poor or inferior states of health
There are set rules for either of the two
Health=reward for diligence in maintaining set
rules of moral & just behavior
Such conscience guided behavior is spiritual
hygiene

Concepts of POOR health and

hygiene in Zimbabwean African
cultures

People are not always guided by conscience e.g

decisions about hunger & thirsty.
Conscience exerts restraint & inhibition where morality
and justice are at stake, hence less visible not always
present. (penumbra in relation to umbra)
Person (mind-soul) may choose not to be led by
conscience/spirit
If a person chooses behavioral conditions which induce
immorality & injustice; the result is ill health through lack
of peace and harmony
People choose their state/quality of health

Aetiology of Disease: Major &

Minor Health problems in Shona
culture

Life=gift from Creator

Just and moral deaths=Spirit Elder phase of life.
Such death=normal transition-physical to spiritual life
All other deaths are immoral and unjust
Include major health problems which threaten other
phases before the spirit elder=arise from the evil source
Diseases(zvirwere/izifo)=transmitted by mamhepo (bad
airs)
Mamhepo=environmental air at dis-equilibrium(good vs
bad elements)
Two types=natural or normal health problems A &
serious illnesses and health problems B

Minor health problems: Illnesses

associated with natural/normal
Type A, Mamhepo Bad Airs

Normal to feel unwell from time to time

(kusandurwa/kupindurwa kwemuviri) turnover in the body
physiology/blood
Carried by type A mamhepo
Originate from natural phenomena as decaying matter,
seasonal & temperature changes
The changes increase such bad elements causing e.g
coughs, colds, allergies
Such bad elements from ecological changes are natural
Such mamhepo only cause zvitenda (minor illnesses)
Only the body suffers but recovers on its own or with
simple herbal remedies.

Concepts of pathogenesis and

Type A, Mamhepo Bad airs
Air contains moisture/vapor muhupe
Muhupe picks up odours from objects
From human beings & other living things it picks up
mukumbari
As muhupe picks up new odours, it deposits some of
the previously picked up odours
Strong smells and body odours are believed to be
unhealthy coz they constitute air at disequilibrium
They cause a variety of minor health problems
The body absorbs the bad airs through skin, ingestion or
inhalation
This explains fears in local cultures in shaking hands,
using same utensils or avoidance of smelling pit latrines.

Hygienic precautions against minor

illness caused by Type A Mamhepo
Practising simple hygienic habits to avoid minor illnesses
For temperature & climate changes-avoiding excessive
exposure to cold moist air cf ancient Rome mal-aria,
bad airs
Bad airs inhaled-spit; belch; vomit; or purging medicines
Bad airs contracted through sweat-washing with plain or
herbal treated water
Diseases contracted through absorption-use of
emollients, charms, bracelets of bones and herbs hung
on neck,wrist or waist; bone charms, cupping;
cicarifications

Major health problems: Illnesses associated with

unnatural or abnormal Type B, Mamhepo

These are caused by evil (Devil in Christianity)

Creator, exists in absolute purity=not associated with ill/evil e.g
violent deaths, debilitating illnesses Ichi hachisi chirwere
chaMusikavanhu
The only one who can take away life in peace.
Elements which cause such behavior are unjust & immoral coz they
create disharmony & disequilibrium-take away peace
The elements do not come from conscience guided source; but evil
or ill comes from negative aspects of behavior (bodily desires, id
impulses) = selfishness greed aggression, hate & many negative
emotions
Failure to bring these under control=a person with malicious mindsoul which can destroy life

How bodily or ID instincts &

desires cause ills which destroy life
Mind-soul =system of cognitive processes
(thinking, planning, deciding, perceiving
etc
Exisists both in mortal body as well as
after death
Cognitive processes travel under the
selfish influences of the id impulses to
cause illness kudeketera

Concepts of pathogenesis and

Type B, Mamhepo (Bad Airs)
Evil/ill-will create disequilibrium & unstable
conditions around a person=health problems
e.g.uchazviona ill-minded omen
Mweya yakaipa inopisa yakanaka
Belief in Kudeketera chanting the name of the
person to induce ill to fall upon them
Evil thoughts & deeds can disequilibrate air
around a target (hex, jinx other people, using
magic, sending lighting & zvipotswa
Witches & sorcerers also cause illness