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Traditional Medicine Gets Oloamanu Attention

Written by Pio Sioa
Monday, 14 July 2008
Oloamanu Centre Director, Gatoloai Tilianamua Afamasaga, The dangers of losing the inherited knowledge of traditional medicine practiced by Samoans before modern methods of healing took over, is a concern the Oloamanu Centre is gearing up to address. The centre at Le Papaigalagala Campus of the National of Samoa is hosting an introductory workshop starting on Tuesday for 25 participants; to start looking at documenting the knowledge before it is lost. Oloamanu Centre Director, Gatoloai Tilianamua Afamasaga, is keen to have the knowledge properly documented before it disappears along with the ‘ taulasea’ or traditional healers. “Traditional healing is a family gift passed down the family chain and it is undocumented territory so far for us,” Gatoloai noted. She is worried that family healers would pass taking with them the knowledge to anyone else in the family to continue. “There is a wealth of knowledge our ‘taulasea’ have of plants, leaves and how to mix them into potions as medicine for the sick, that is the knowledge we need to document for safe keeping.” Gatoloai referred to efforts underway in New Zealand for this kind of commitment to documenting forms of traditional healing practiced by the Maoris in the past. “The workshop we’re doing this week was a suggestion that came from there and this is a golden opportunity for us to follow up on what they are doing and to develop a pathway for formal studies in the area. “ The documentation of traditional knowledge is a big movement going on in the world now and it is something we have to look at too because we need to have records of our own traditional practices.” She pointed to the example of traditional healing in China, where modern medicine is practiced alongside herbal healing. “Obviously the knowledge of all those years of traditional healing in China is being preserved, and if they are continuing to practice them then it must be still working.” Comments (1) Subscribe to this comment's feed YOUR RIGHT! written by Malia, July 14, 2008 I FULLY SUPPORT HER, OUR TRDITION MEDICINE SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED SO THAT WAY WHEN THE FUTURE GENERATION WOULD LEARN FROM IT AND HEY MAYBE THEY WILL LEARN FROM IT AS WELL. IA KALOSIA IA KAUGUU LE FAAMOEMOE LEA. WELL YOU GO GIRL I HOPE EVERYTHING WOULD BE RECORDED BECAUSE FOR SURE ALL THOSE MEDICINES WOULD BE SURELY FORGOTTON OR LOST IF THEY ALL DIE AND THEY DIE WITH THE INGREDIENTS. Write comment Name Email Title Comment
Last Updated ( Friday, 18 July 2008 )

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