PhD defence: Reeds in the wind of change. Zulu sangomas in transition

On Tuesday 30 March at 1.45 p.m., ASCL PhD candidate Gerda Hooghordel will defend her dissertation, Reeds in the wind of change. Zulu sangomas in transition, at Leiden University. Watch the PhD defence via livestream.

Reeds in the wind of change investigates the changing healing practice of Zulu sangomas in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Indigenous healing in South Africa is currently at a crossroads. While the latest healthcare legislation accepts the traditional healthcare system as equal to cosmopolitan healthcare, the accompanying institutional developments present obligations and challenges for indigenous healers. While the legalisation is important for sangomas, certain valued characteristics of their much-frequented healing practices are now under pressure. This research seeks to detect where transformations in indigenous healing practices originate and it seeks to understand to what purpose adaptations in healing processes serve.

Promotors: Rijk van Dijk, Wouter van Beek

Photo: Gerda Hooghordel.