Traditional Beliefs And Practices In The Tolai Society; East New Britain Province

Karen Willis and Shandell Emer (2007) developed the understanding that sociability, culture, and health are all interrelated. This is a method of analyzing how important each individual and group’s wellbeing is. To be able to participate in society, you must adhere to a culture that promotes healthy living. In many areas of Papua New Guinea, the traditional beliefs and practices of medicine are still practiced. This discussion will focus on the Traditional beliefs in Tolai society, especially the relationship between Sorcery (and ill health) and the Tolai culture. Discussion will focus on the relationship between sorcery practices and beliefs, and ill-health. In addition, the discussion will be more focused on how sorcery affects women and their treatment.

Since the beginnings colonial regimes, Tolai culture and traditions have been preserved and respected for more that a century. (Epstein – 1999). Epstein (1999) also stated that there were many violations of societal culture, which led to other people becoming vulnerable to serious illness. In his definition, Sorcery is the practice of magical abilities that are part of the cultural norms of a person to prevent them from being attacked by the willful criminal (kuanua ; iniet/tena varadodoko). So, the person can protect themselves against illnesses that European medicine cannot treat.

Epstein (1999), further stated that, “practicing magical powers was mandatory”. It means that the sorcerers are not choosing their victim but rather, they’re drawn to someone by an indelible trace. This is usually a sign of a serious disease. It shows that an iniet is not going to harm his victim unless the sorcerer has given him taring. It can therefore be said that sorcery has a strong influence on the Tolai’s health.

The practice of sorcery has a significant impact on the health of Tolai people and Papua New Guineans in general. The Tolai believe in the magical power to cure mental, emotional and even physical ailments that used to be widespread. This belief began with the arrival Missionaries. Epstein (1998) states that Tolai believe magical powers are a better explanation for the treatment of different illnesses than medical knowledge. If a victim of sorcery becomes ill, another sorcerer is called to treat them.

Many people claim that someone has died due to sorcery. Death is something that everyone knows. The living environment can affect you socially, emotionally or physically. The attitudes of Tolai to tena vardodoko/iniet, as the author (Epstein, 1999) highlighted, are paramount in determining which people are good or bad. This will help to identify the real causes of the illness affecting society.

Kaputin, 1988) states that the willful murderer is forced to commit the crime of killing an innocent person who has a severe illness. According to him, the patient’s body odor was so strong that the willful killer could use it to find the victim. As a result, women are more susceptible to being attacked during their period.

In order to gain more power, tena varodoko/iniet will attack the victims because of their scent. It is because of this that the relatives, mainly the men, tend to go to the healer kuanua. Tena valagar. Or decide to get revenge. This way, one can see that a small illness leads to a larger sorcery.

A healer’s (tena valagar) help is not appropriate, since the healer can also be an evil sorcerer. Epstein (1999), for example, explained that a healer could also be a soothsayer since he has knowledge of sorcery. He would be able to understand the methods of overcoming magical powers, killing the victim and combating the magic. Epstein explained that the healer would give you substances to make you vomit poison (tabatabar/taring).

ConclusionConcluding, there was a great deal of success in the treatment and cure of diseases that the Europeans failed to treat. Tolai natives have always treasured their traditional beliefs and practices of medicine.