THE ROLE OF WANZAMAI (TRADITIONAL SURGEONS) IN HAUSA LAND

Wanzanci a Hausa word entails the cultural practices around the Craft, WANZAN which can be referred to as traditional surgeon in Hausa Land.

Wanzanci (Traditional surgery) is one of the oldest profession among the Hausa ethnic group of Nigeria and Niger, it has been one of the oldest way of survival and sustaining their livelihoods and boasting their local Economy since the earliest time and has been passed through on successive generations till date.

Hence WANZAMAI (traditional surgeons) occupied the position of doctors or healthcare providers in the past through administering  to various illnesses and provide cure to certain disease such as Basir(ple), Shawara (Typhoid), cizon sauro (maleria) toilet infections    and many spirituals allment such as certain charms against witchcraft, madness among others.

HAUSA TRADITIONAL MEDICINE "ƘAHO"

Hausa medicine is heavily characterized by Islamic influence and traditional, African-style herbology, and religious practices which are still prevalent today. Many traditional healing methods such as religious and spiritual healing are often used alongside modern medicine among Hausa villages and cities.

There're Hausa people who are professional on medicine for many centuries as they offer many services to the community related to  physical and mental health. Those people are called WANZAMAI.

ONE OF THE OLDEST WAY OF HEALING PEOPLE IN HAUSA LAND IS ƘAHO:

Before colonialism, Hausa surgeons already performed many surgical procedures for medical reasons and one of those surgery is called ƘAHO.

ƘAHO (Cupping) involves removal of poisonous blood.

The body is treated and the air is sucked out, creating a partial vacuum inside.

The top of the horn is then capped with a small piece of tendon, slipped into place by the barber's tongue as he draws out the air.

The horn remains on the skin until it raises a welt, then it is removed. The welt is then washed with water and a series of cuts are made with the razor within the circle outlined by the horn - usually 3 rows of 5 vertical cuts each.

There is no significance to the pattern of the cuts.

The horn is then replaced over the welt, the air is removed, and the horn is again capped with a piece of tendon and allowed to set.

Blood is gradually drawn out of the shallow cuts made by the barber and coagulates inside the horn.

Overtime, the barber will repeatedly remove the horn, shake out the dark, thickened blood into a gourd filled with sand, and reapply suction to the horn.

The dark blood is seen as bad blood that caused the swelling or the patient's lassitude and feeling of listlessness.

1 or 2 table-spoons of congealed blood is obtained from each cupping horn in the course of this procedure.

Many people in Hausa villages women bear the telltale series of small lines of scars somewhere where he or she has been cupped.

An alternative, but less common method involves the use of a small, round gourd instead of a cow's horn.

A hole is cut in the side of a dried gourd and a piece of cotton is placed inside.

The cotton is then set alight and the gourd is placed over the area to be cupped. The flame inside the gourd uses up the oxygen, creating a partial vacuum suficient to provide suction.

But unfortunately despite the important and roles of this Oldest Hausa Profession it's On The Verge Of Extinction due to the Modern way of life and youths are not willing to inherit it from their parents as they prefer to do some professions which are easier for them.

#Africa #Nigeria