存与续:东非传统医学的叙述与实践

Preserving and Continuing: The Narration and Practice on East Africa’s Traditional Medicine

本文通过研究东部非洲传统医学,从"存与续"两方面探讨其与现代医学互动的张力。东非的传统医学具有与地方社会文化相匹配的疾病因果观、代理人体系、药物体系、重大疾病/健康议题的应对方式。传统医学与现代医学呈现对立、并存和博弈三层关系意涵。传统医学不仅在东非历史上,并且在当下仍旧发挥着重要作用,其文化韧性可促进民族自觉,从而带动地方和国家发展。

By studying East African traditional medicine, this paper explores the interaction between traditional and modern medicine from the perspective of"Preserving and Continuing"the traditional medicine. Traditional medicine in East Africa has a certain causal view of diseases, an agent system, a medicine system and a way of responding to critical illnesses and health issues that are in accordance with the local socio-cultural context. We found traditional medicine and modern medicine in East Africa are in a mixed relationship of opposing, coexisting, and strategic gaming. We argue that both in the past and today,the traditional medicine has been playing an important role for East Africa;its cultural vitality could promote the awareness of national identity and assist the local and national development in East Africa.