Spirits of a Drum Beat: African Caribbean Traditional Healers and their Healing Practices in Toronto

Abstract

African Caribbean communities in the diaspora use a wide variety of traditional healing practices, such as Voodoo, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Santeria, Spiritual Baptist, Maat and Christian Pentecostal, and many others. Outside of the communities directly involved in these healing traditions, not much is known about many of these healers and the kinds of healing practices they engage in. This research explores and offers insights into African Caribbean traditional healers and their healing practices in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), in Canada. Five individuals (three males and two females) who identified as African Caribbean traditional healers and practiced in the Greater Toronto Area were interviewed. The healers described their healing practices, shared issues related to the assessment and treatment of patients' presenting problems, and discussed collaboration between Western healthcare practitioners and themselves. Grounded theory was used to analyse the transcripts.