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The foundation of the traditional health practitioner space rests on the ancient indigenous knowledge (IK) systems, which predate technology. Rooted in protecting the sacredness of the IK, there has consequently been an atmosphere of secrecy surrounding practices in fear of divulging the delicate parts of the bodies of knowledge.
It seems that the lines between secret and sacred, ever so blurry, have influenced how healers in general disseminate knowledge. I understand why most actively choose to be on the safe side by rather keeping their services and teaching as in-person products.
There is deep pride in being entrusted to carry knowledge that ensures the generational survival of many clans. Equally, there also exists much fear-mongering in the spiritual space, particularly around the parameters of practice, a discussion for another day.
I remember when I was an initiate, I had just started practicing here and there, using the knowledge I had accumulated to assist people with a host of spiritually rooted problems. I met a client, a South African woman based in North America. Now, I must say that it was during Covid times and restrictions had just been loosened for the first time. We arranged a call.
She explained her problem and based on my then knowledge, she would’ve needed to be in front of me so I could assist her.
At our initial contact, I grappled with how we would even conduct a formal consultation given that we were oceans apart. Equally, the consultation and spiritual intervention were paramount at that moment. She was in dire condition and my internal turmoil rested on how I could turn her away all because I had never seen someone being assisted virtually before.
Up until that point, my Gobela (someone who trains sangoma initiates) had not made avenues of online or telephonic consultations overtly clear. Yes, she would talk to clients, but eventually, the goal was to get them to appear in her ndumba (traditional consultation room) before any real interventions could be made. Her sentiment, at the time, was because we are vessels for ancient historical beings, we should conduct ourselves and practice the way that they did, as an observation of protocol.
This meant an under-reliance on technology, similar to our forefathers who, again, predated technology. As an initiate, I flirted with the boundaries of practice, wondering how I could use technology in mindful and respectful ways to achieve spiritual intervention for clients.
I held the sentiment, and I still do, that there are millions of South Africans living abroad, does that mean that the only way they can attain spiritual help and consultation is if they fly home? In this economy? I had to find ways, relying on my ancient ancestors to guide me, while I made use of the tech at my disposal to find solutions for clients who couldn’t make it to me physically.
In deciding on my methods, constantly looming in my mind was the idea that all this tech and all these modern advents can surely not remain dormant while in my practice. Especially considering that I am modern, nurtured in modern environments, and taught and shaped using technology as a tool. Surely I could do the same!
Today, I am privileged to exist in a space where I can see first-hand, the transformation of the ubungoma (ancestral calling) space given that so many young people are affected by the calling. One such young person who is deeply invested in the development of the traditional healthcare space is Lebo Rantao, founder of an app called Ngoma. As he describes it, the app is a marketplace for the services of izangoma (traditional healers) and their products.
In a conversation recorded for the podcast “Gogo, have I been scammed?”, Rantao expresses his passion for making his contribution to spirituality by making it more accessible to a layperson. With transparency at the forefront, Rantao speaks about the advantages of technology in its ability to connect people to services near them, services that have been vetted to avoid scams that are prevalent at this time.
He also expresses his frustration at the snail-paced development within the ubungoma space, especially in terms of infrastructure.
“There’s billions in annual revenue allegedly in the traditional healing space, but where is all that money going?” asked Rantao in frustration while also highlighting the potential economic contribution of traditional health care if taken seriously.
My conversation with Rantao left me in deep introspection. I wondered where my practice and integrity as isangoma would be if I had simply coloured within the lines by shying away from using tech in my practice.
- For more on this conversation, click here.
