Sociality and temporality in local experiences of distress and healing: Ethnographic research in northern Rwanda.

Yuko Otake,Teisi Tamming

doi:10.1177/1363461520949670

Yuko Otake, Teisi Tamming

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461520949670

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Abstract

Prior studies have traced sociality and temporality as significant features of African healing. However, association between the two has not been explicitly investigated. This paper explores how sociality and temporality are associated in local experiences of distress and healing among northern Rwandans. The ethnographic research, including in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions and participant observation, was conducted in 2015–2016, with 43 participants from the Musanze district who have suffered from not only the genocide but also post-genocide massacres. Findings identified common local idioms of distress: ibikomere (wounded feelings), ihungabana (mental disturbances), ihahamuka (trauma), and kurwara mu mutwe (illness of the head, severe mental illness). One stage of distress was perceived to develop into another, slightly more serious than the previous. Social isolation played a significant role in the development as it activated ‘remembering’ and ‘thinking too much’ about the past and worsened symptoms. Subsequently, healing was experienced through social reconnection and a shift of time orientation from the past to the future; the healing experience traced a process of leaving the past behind, moving forwards and creating a future through community involvement. The experiences of distress and healing in this population were explained by two axes, i.e. sociality (isolation – reconnection) and temporality (past – future), which are associated with each other. Given the sociality–temporality association in African post-war healing, the study highlights that assistant programmes that facilitate social practice and future creation can be therapeutic and be an alternative for people who cannot benefit from talking-based and trauma-focused approaches.

Highlights

In the context of post-genocide Rwanda, mental health studies have taken three major approaches: the biomedical, psychosocial, and culturally sensitive (Dona, 2010)
This study explores: (1) local experiences of distress and healing in a population marginalised by the mainstream genocide trauma narrative; and (2) how sociality and temporality are associated in local experiences of distress and healing
This paper has elaborated local concepts and experiences of mental distress and healing among northern Rwandans who are marginalised by the mainstream genocide narratives, and described associations between sociality and temporality in distress and healing

Summary

Introduction

In the context of post-genocide Rwanda, mental health studies have taken three major approaches: the biomedical, psychosocial, and culturally sensitive (Dona , 2010). The biomedical approach has focused on psychiatric trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as genocide-caused mental disorders. Psychological programmes targeting trauma and PTSD were initiated (Chauvin, Mugaju & Comlavi, 1998; Neuner et al, 2004, 2008; Schaal, Elbert & Neuner, 2009). Whereas some studies reported positive impacts of psychological programmes (Neuner et al, 2004; Neuner et al, 2008, Shaal et al, 2009), others noted negative consequences and critically reflected cultural insensitivity of these programmes (Kumar et al, 1996; Neugebauer, 2006)

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