Conncepts of health and disease among the Ariaal Rendillec herbal medicine, ritual curing, and modern health care in a

Abstract

The Ariaal Rendille are a nomadic pastoralist population who torm a cultural bridge between the Samburu cattle-herders and Rendille camel-herders of northern Kenya, East Africa. The Ariaal. utilize the intermediate ecologic zone along the highland-lowland interface of the Ndoto Mountains, enabling them to practice a dual cattle-camel economy where the population subsists off the camel and small stock herds and use their cattle for traditional and modern cash exchange. Despite a nutritious diet of milk, meat and blood and an environment relatively free of water-borne diseases, the Ariaal face periodic undernourishment and exposure to a variety of infectious diseases including malaria, pnuemonia, whooping cough, and measles. Mortality is particularly high in children. In addition, the society faces famIliar but debilitating health problems related to childbirth, accidents, old age, and mental illness. The Ariaal are not helpless in the face of these health problems, but possess a traditional medical system that categorizes, diagnoses, and treats many of the illnesses they experience. An out- - standing teature of their ethnomedicine is the rich inventory of herbal medicines prepared as ointments, fumigants, purgatives and emetics. Herbal specialists are widespread 'and often competent in midwifery, massage technIques, and bone setting. Their skills encompass an extensive emfJirical knowledge of health problems experienced by the Ariaal. 3 A distinct but equally important aspect or Arlaal tradItional medicine is the belief in sorcery, where human enemies can manipulate supernatural forces to inflict harm and illness. Problems in sexual reproduction and mental illness in particular are thought due to sorcery. To this end, the Ariaal believe only a ritual specialist, the Samburu ~o~bonokr can treat, cure, and prevent sorcery acts. Both the ritual curing of the loibonok and the mechanic-chemical treatments ot the herbal specialists coexist as methods of health care, where either or both specialists will be consulted when illness occurs. The advent of western medical treatment represents a new component of Ariaal response to illness. Modern Health care has been among the most important changes in Ariaal society and represents a fundamental development in their integration into the wider Kenya society and economy. Of significance both demographically and socially is the health care delivery of preventative medicines, particularly vaccinations, to the rural nomadic populations in Kenya. This dissertation, a medical anthropological description, analyses the concepts and practices ot Ariaal traditional medicine and its integration with modern health care delivery in northern Kenya.