Influence of Indigenous Education to Traditional Methods of Disease Prevention and Management as Practiced by the Bukusu Community of Kenya

Abstract

Health problems as a result of numerous diseases that afflict people have been and still are an issue of concern. While numerous efforts have been undertaken to curb these health problems of diseases, little attention has been given to the role which Indigenous education can play in boosting prevention and management of such diseases. This has led to gradual abandonment and even extinction of some of the traditional practices that aid in curbing of diseases which have been shown to have promoted health. This study was therefore aimed at establishing how Indigenous education promoted and propagated disease prevention and management in order to maintain the well being of the society taking the Bukusu Community of Kenya as a case. The Bukusu community is one of the seventeen sub-tribes of the Luhya, Bantu people of East Africa.

They occupy majorly Bungoma County in which the study was based and they have some persistent aspects of their rich culture that are still observed by majority of its members. The study was guided by the Medical ecology theory. An ethno-historical approach was employed in instrumentation, data collection, analysis and interpretation. The historical inquiry progressed in three major phases namely collection of Oral evidence through field work by oral interviews and focus group discussions and research into archival and secondary materials in libraries. To achieve systematic collection of data, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used. The research sample was drawn from Bungoma North and Kimilili-Bungoma districts of Bungoma County in which a total of twenty one persons including both men and women were interviewed and the data collected was analysed qualitatively through triangulation and deduction of themes. It was found out that indigenous education through its content and methodology promotes observance and propagation disease prevention and management practices through promotion and propagation of: traditional immunization against diseases; proper nutrition; observance of hygiene and isolation of the sick in some cases; avoidance of risk taking behaviors; spiritual protection as well as management of diseases through herbal medication. Results obtained from this study may be useful in informing the contemporary society on the valuable health practices that are at the verge of extinction and this can provide a contribution towards the current health promotion efforts.