SOUTH AFRICA-WHITE SANGOMAS White South Africans take up traditional medicine to become sangoma healers

Record ID: 157331

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA-WHITE SANGOMAS White South Africans take up traditional medicine to become sangoma healers
  • Date: 4th May 2015
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RIAAN SWIEGLAAR, PSYCHIC HEALER AND SANGOMA PERFORMING RITUALS AT HIS PRACTICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) RIAAN SWIEGLAAR, PSYCHIC HEALER AND SANGOMA SAYING: "The African people have been amazing, really accepting, I would actually say its on the other side the so called Caucasian or the white community who have been frowning upon it and not understanding but African people and especially people from the areas that I have been to namely, Gugulethu and I also worked for a while in Khayelitsha during my training have been amazing, very welcoming and warm people."
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA48B80OI5SBQ0O83FDIDTKZOM1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Riaan Swieglaar performs a ritual at his practice in Belville, a neighbourhood in South Africa's sea side Cape Town region.
    As the aroma of a smouldering plant fills the room, the sangoma or traditional healer, calls out to the ancestors for guidance.
    Sangomas use medicinal plants, herbs, bones, shells and animal body fats among other things to perform rituals said to cure ailments and dispel evil spirits.
    The psychic healer and sangoma says in apartheid South Africa he would have not been welcomed in the townships to administer treatment but today many see white sangomas as part of the healing process.
    "The African people have been amazing, really accepting, I would actually say its on the other side, the so called Caucasian or the white community who have been frowning upon it and not understanding but African people and especially people from the areas that I have been to namely, Gugulethu and I also worked for a while in Khayelitsha during my training have been amazing, very welcoming and warm people," said Swieglaar.
    In the past, this type of mysterious healing was the domain of mostly black women and sometimes men.
    Sangomas are called to heal and through them it is believed that ancestors from the spirit world will give them instruction and advise to heal physical ailments, social disharmony and spiritual difficulties.
    Traditional healers normally work in a sacred healing hut or 'Indumba' where they believe their ancestors reside, but more modern traditional healers work from home or makeshift consulting offices where they see clients on a daily basis
    A former theology student from Oudsthoorn, in rural Western Cape 34-year-old Swieglaar had dreams of becoming a pastor, but says he got a different calling. He usually sees about five clients a day and has been practising as a sangoma for the past six years.
    Swieglaar says a significant number of his clients come from the corporate world, some of whom are white.
    "I don't think that there is necessarily more white people interested, I just think that its more easy now in the times we live in for a white person to embrace that part of themselves and to actually go and live it," he said.
    The sangoma often attracts attention from some residents whenever he visits the local 'muti shop' or store that supplies traditional medicine ingredients to get roots and herbs for his business.
    "Now in South Africa there is only the black people who are sangomas, that is why it's the first time I see a white person to be a sangoma, so I was surprised that is why I needed to take a pic (photo)," said Hendrik Soga, a Cape Town resident.
    Across the city in Muizenberg, Pieter Von Maltitz, a psychic medium and herbal practitioner is mixing up portions.
    The father of three conducts workshops in traditional African medicine and administers eight levels of healing to clients who come to him for consultation.
    "The interest is peaked by the fact that we lost our culture, white people have lost their clan culture seven thousand years ago, so that is why there is such a spiritual vacuum, I mean its all very well having organised religion and being told this is what you must believe, but African culture is not about that," said Von Maltitz.
    Over 200,000 traditional healers practice in South Africa where they are legally recognised. Sangomas are revered and trusted in rural communities and play multiple roles as spiritual guide, healer and counsellor.
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