Nostalgic Narratives on Indigenous Medicines and Medication Systems among Traditional Healers in Guji People, Southern Ethiopia
Gemeda Odo RobaThis article investigates the nostalgic narratives about accessibility, usability and sustainability of indigenous medicines and medication systems among Guji people traditional healers in Ethiopia. The methods of data production like in-depth interview, key informants interview and focus group discussions were conducted to produce data from local elders and traditional healers. According to the findings the nostalgic narratives widely recounted by local elders and traditional healers indicate that indigenous medicinal knowledge and medication systems have been highly eroded due to endangerment of medicinal knowledge, declining of medicinal values, degradation of medicinal plants and waning of healers reputation particularly following changes in usability, accessibility and sustainability of medicinal knowledge. These changes have resulted in nostalgic narratives whereby local healers and community elders idyllically recount about gradual losses and degradations of medicinal knowledge and medication systems sustainability. The nostalgic narratives point up that there are significant changes in usability, accessibility and sustainability of indigenous medicine and medication system. Therefore, the researchers, local healers, governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and local people need to work in collaboration to preserve the indigenous medicinal knowledge for socio-economic benefit of current as well as coming generations.