12/17/2023 0 Comments Moons of madness ea sickThis mixture was rubbed into skin incisions during scarification practices Used as containers for a charred medicinal mixture called 'katala' in Haussa. The author adds that epilepsy is believed to occur mostly during the full moon (10th to 15th days of a month) In this perspective we address the following specific questions: Which palm species take part in rituals or specific ceremonies? Which palm parts are mostly used? And finally, are palms present in the spiritual framework of African traditional medicines today? We argue that we can only have an accurate insight into traditional medicine if we understand the cultural context of medicinal use of palms (and other plants). incantations) believed to have some healing powers and/or ability to counteract or influence the actions of malevolent forces. By ritual (or magical treatment) we understand any medicinal practice involving objects (e.g. Here we focus on palm-derived African ethnomedicine that includes ritual elements. On the other hand, most of the recent ritual palm use records came from anthropological studies, where the emphasis was put on the explanation of the ritual itself, but the botanical species was not defined. While these types of studies may be useful when searching for potential modern drugs, they do not reveal the ideas underlying the use of the cited medicines nor do they explain why certain plants were selected for a ritual, or their exact therapeutic practice. Detailed preparation and application of palm remedies are rarely mentioned. In the latest studies on African traditional medicine palms are included among raw lists of plants used for specific ailments. Even though many studies report ethnomedicinal uses of African palms, from the late nineteenth century to very recent times – especially recent studies pay little attention to rituals. Since palms are part of the everyday life of nearly all rural people in Africa, it may be expected that they are also important in the spiritual framework of rural life in Africa. Traditional remedies are derived from palms throughout the tropics and subtropics to cure many disorders. Palms (family Arecaceae) are prominent in traditional cultures as a source of raw materials for consumption, construction, and other functions of daily life. As a consequence, traditional remedies are not merely used for curing a disease, but are also used to obtain protection or to overcome curses. Thus, traditional healers often apply divination and various rituals in order to understand the overall significance of a healing process and counteract its cause. The patient is often considered a victim, and the therapy must heal not only physical symptoms but also social relationships to liberate the patient from suffering. Afflictions which are mostly related to the action of the malevolent forces are either serious and chronic or emerging suddenly and unexpectedly. These forces are often defined as witches, sorcerers, broken taboos, displeased ancestor spirits or deities. ![]() Traditional medicines in rural sub-Saharan communities recognize that the occurrence of disease can result from the intrusion of negative supernatural forces. A better understanding of the cultural context of medicinal use of palms is needed in order to obtain a more accurate and complete insight into palm-based traditional medicines. In other cases, palms are added as a support to other powerful ingredients, for example palm oil used as a medium to blend and make coherent the healing mixture. In some rituals, palms play a central role as sacred objects, for example the seeds accompany oracles and palm leaves are used in offerings. petersiana, Phoenix reclinata, Raphia farinifera, R. ![]() pinnatifrons, Elaeis guineensis, Hyphaene coriacea, H. At least 12 palm species in sub-Saharan Africa are involved in various ritual practices: Borassus aethiopum, Cocos nucifera, Dypsis canaliculata, D. We studied over 200 publications on uses of African palms and found information about ritual uses in 26 of them. ![]() This work reviews ritual uses of palms within African ethnomedicine. It is, however, a challenge to find detailed information on the ritual use of palms, which are an inextricable part of African medicinal and spiritual systems. ![]() Palms (Arecaceae) are prominent elements in African traditional medicines.
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