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6. Acting out stories
In Lardin Gabas, Nigeria, stories with health messages are often acted out by
those who hear them. First a story is told by the group leader. Then one person
repeats it and everyone comments on how well it was retold, what details were
forgotten, and how it was changed. (Stories are often added to or improved
as learners retell them.) Finally, the whole group acts out the story. Here is an
example.*
There was a woman called Pokta who sold
cans and bottles. All around her yard were cans
and bottles with water in them.
Madam Pokta’s young son was always
getting fever. One day the boy had a terrible
headache and a high fever with chills. Madam
Pokta went to the store and bought Caffenol
(aspirin with caffeine) for the boy, but it did
not bring the fever down. So she took him to
the native healer, who took a knife and cut the
boy’s chest and sucked out some blood.
Soon after, the boy died. Madam Pokta
was unhappy for a long time. She could not
understand why the boy had had so much
malaria. She thought perhaps the boy was not
meant to live.
One day she heard about a health worker close to
her village. She went and told him about her son’s
teath. So the health worker went with Madam Pokta
ro her house. When they arrived, mosquitoes were
buzzing everywhere because it was late afternoon.
The health worker saw the cans and bottles lying
around with water in them. And he
found little ‘summersaulters’ (baby
mosquitoes) in the water.
He showed these to Madam Pokta
and told her that mosquitoes biting
her son had caused him to get
malaria and die. Together they
cleaned up her yard. Then he told her she should bring
her other children to the clinic every month so they
could receive Daraprim pills to prevent malaria. They
became healthier and all were happier.
After the story has been acted out, people in the group ask each other questions
about it and make up songs about the main health messages. With all this repetition
through stories, acting, discussion, and songs, people remember well.
7. Analyzing stories for hidden or harmful messages
Sometimes stories used for health teaching carry hidden messages that were
not intended. If story telling is to help people gain confidence in themselves
and pride in their own culture, care must be taken not to make local ways
or persons look all bad, and outside ways or persons look all good. If the
weakness of a local custom is pointed out, a beneficial custom should also be
mentioned. If a story tells of a traditional healer who does something harmful, it
is best if another traditional healer (rather than an outsider) finds out and shows
people a better way.
In the story about malaria, notice that Madam Pokta first tries self-care (she buys
Caffenol). This fails. Next she goes to a traditional healer. His treatment also fails,
and may even have made the child worse. At last she goes to an outside health
worker, whose advice is successful.
The hidden messages in the story are “Self-care is wrong,” “Traditional medicine
is wrong,” and “Outside advice is right.” Although the story of Madam Pokta is in
many ways excellent, such messages can actually weaken people’s confidence in
their own experience and ability to find answers for themselves.
Health workers need to analyze the stories they use to make sure that hidden
messages are community strengthening. (Compare this story from Lardin Gabas
with the story from India at the beginning of this chapter.)
*Adapted from a booklet called Health Teaching for West Africa: Stories, Drama, and Song, edited by
David Hilton. Available from MAP International, 4700 Glynco Parkway, Brunswick, GA 31525, U.S.A.
www.map.org.