Samoan art of healing: A description and classification of the current practice of the "taulasea" and "fofo" [microform]
- Bib ID:
- 3287470
- Format:
- Book and Microform
- Author:
- Forsyth, Claudia
- Access Conditions:
- Restricted. This item contains descriptions of Samoan rituals
- Description:
- 373 p.
- Summary:
-
The Problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate and observe in practice several traditional Samoan healers known as the Taulasea and Fofo to obtain a full description of the processes they engage in during healing, and to determine their appropriate classification as traditional healers. Method. An ethnological study was conducted, and seven Taulasea and/or Fofo were given a questionnaire, and were interviewed and observed during their healing practices in Western Samoa during 11 visits made from 1978 through 1982. In addition, interviews with several Toe Ali'i (elderly high chiefs), highly respected for their knowledge of tradition and the healing arts, were included in the data. The classifications examined were personalistic and naturalistic as defined by Foster. Previous literature on Samoan healing was criticially examined for authenticity and for setting the stage for the study.
Results. The Samoan healers' current practices showed the following: (1) extensive knowledge of the human mind and body processes based on ancient and current knowledge; (2) a holistic approach to treatment utilizing an extensive repertoire of medicinal herbs, therapeutic massage, and therapeutic techniques such as hypnosis, visualization, suggestion and expectation; (3) treatment style for mental disorders similar to those of the humanistic-existentialists R. D. Laing and Viktor Frankl; and (4) a belief that healing takes place best in a state of relaxation. The Samoan healers showed the following characteristics representative of the classification for naturalistic healers: (1) disease causation was placed on bodily excesses or an imbalance in the body's system, (2) responsibility for health or sickness is placed on the patient, (3) religion and medicine are not closely interwoven, and (4) disease etiologies are related to the illness.
These findings suggest that the Samoan healers have been misclassified as shaman or sorcerer type healers. The Samoan healers are part of an ancient healing system that reaches back thousands of years and is a useful and important resource for future healing research.
- Notes:
-
- (UnM)AAI8318586
- Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-04, Section: B, page: 1221.
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--United States International University, 1983.
- Reproduction:
- Microfiche. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
- Subject:
- Psychology, General
- Other authors/contributors:
- United States International University
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 1983
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