Preserving tradition in the here and now: Barriers to the preservation and continuity of traditional healing knowledge and practices in Madagascar

Abstract

While formal studies and grey literature often acknowledge barriers to indigenous healing practices in Madagascar, they less frequently focus on the specific challenges faced by women, particularly renin-jaza (“midwives”). This qualitative study uses conversational interviews to explore the lived experiences and self-constructed identities of key figures in Madagascar's traditional healing community: two renin-jaza from a remote village and the president of a traditional healers association in southeastern Madagascar. The study presents two main findings around (1) barriers affecting the everyday, spiritual, and intergenerational practices of renin-jaza, including conflation of the term with “midwife,” and (2) the benefits of informalized research approaches for exploring this topic. Recommendations include that policymakers should not only support indigenous knowledge and practices but also work to preserve the historical contexts of indigeneity, while protecting current practitioners and practices from ongoing efforts to marginalize or eliminate them.