Indigenous Beliefs and Healing Practices: The Case of Opo Community In Itang Special Woreda, Gambella Peoples‟ National Regional State

Abstract

Every human community replies to the challenge of maintaining health and giving illness by developing a medical system based on indigenous philosophies, beliefs and experience that are passed from generation to the next. The aim of this study is to explore and investigate the indigenous beliefs and healing practices among Opo community in Wankey and Mera. Qualitative approach was employed with ethnographic as study design. Purposive sampling was used to select an indigenous healers, local elders and patients on the individual and group based to generate the data from participants. In general, twenty nine participants were participated in the study process. The methods used in data collection was different tools and triangulated for their trustworthiness and rationality purpose: such as key informants interview, observation and focus group discussion. The data were analyzed by using descriptive method and/ or qualitative approach. The finding of the study show that cultural context of the community in relation to indigenous beliefs and healing practices in health care system is significant in providing health. Local elders, indigenous healers and patients were involved in the series of discussion on how health care system and healing knowledge acquisition toward maintaining their health among community members. Opo ways of life, livelihood and their health is influenced by the culture and natural surroundings. This indicate that the knowledge rest on their culture and natural environment. This study also reveal that the role of indigenous beliefs of local healers and patients among Opo community in Wankey and Mera toward the indigenous medicines is essential for their health and healing in local health care systems. Moreover, this study indicated that the indigenous knowledge of healing contribute to the delivery of services to prevent and cure illness to the community. The knowledge acquisition is passed from the parent to children depending on who is interested to take skill from the specialist. The government should provide the necessary support and help to indigenous healers and community elders in sustaining the knowledge. Basically, there is a need to understand the indigenous beliefs and healing practices among Opo community dwelling in Gambella Regional State .