Means of acquiring and transmission of knowledge on traditionalmedicine and spirituality among Afro descendants of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, 2017

Kelly Bent, Grace and Garth Sambola, Ivania and Joseph, Wendy (2017) Means of acquiring and transmission of knowledge on traditionalmedicine and spirituality among Afro descendants of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, 2017. Documentation. URACCAN, Bluefields. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

One of Bob Marley´s outstanding quotes reads as follow: “If you know your history, then you would know where you coming from, then you wouldn’t have to ask me, who the heck I think I am.” Statement that demands the Afro descendants to write their history, chronicles, descriptions or stories of their lifestyle and to record those of their ancestors. Historically it is known that the Afro descendant people of the East Coast of Nicaragua have very few Creole/English written narratives about themselves; this lack of native´s systematic archives is due to the cultural fact that all the historical and folklore traditions accounts are shared orally from one generation to the next. The purpose of this study was: Systematize the process of acquiring and transmitting knowledge on traditional medicine and spirituality among the Afro-descendants in the municipalities of Bluefields and Pearl Lagoon, 2017. The pathway used for the creation and recreation of the process of acquiring and transmitting knowledge on traditional medicine and spirituality among the Afrodescendants was qualitative with a retrospective approach, from an intercultural and gender perspective. This work pretends to fit within the frame work of the CCRISAC´s method (Cultivo y Crianza de Sabidurias y Conocimientos) in which one is called to create, nurture and reap the fruits of a participative and collective process that articulate to reproduce or rescue knowledge; in this case, ancestral knowledge. The final product (outcome) is based on oral history. Oral and experiential teaching are the main method of transmitting knowledge on traditional medicine and spirituality among the Afro-descendants’ healers. The study also suggested that the art of acquiring knowledge on both traditional medicine and spirituality seems to be closely related to willingness and volunteering, there is a sense of a divine calling and braveness to respond. The practice of traditional medicine and spirituality is fundamental for the Afro descendants, this guarantee the prevention of diseases and a healthy community; as well as strengthen their identity and culture; therefore, it is important to keep it alive among the young generation. In order to conserve and protect ancestral values the Afro descendants’ communities need to know, practice and write their own history in their native’s language.

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