Helping People Look at
Their Customs and Beliefs
7CHAPTER
7-1
LOOKING AT LOCAL CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
Training programs often make one of three common mistakes when helping health
workers learn about people’s customs and traditions.
• They look down on or ‘scorn’ local beliefs and traditional forms of healing as “old
fashioned,” “unscientific,” and largely worthless.
• They look up to or ‘romanticize’ local customs and traditional medicine as
completely admirable and beneficial.
• Or they fail to look at all at local traditions, customs, and forms of healing.
In reality, old ways, like new ways, have strengths and weaknesses. Health workers
need to help people look carefully and critically at both the old and the new, in
order to avoid what is harmful and preserve what is best in each.
But place greatest emphasis on what is best. Helping people rediscover the value
of many of their traditional ways increases their confidence in their own knowledge,
experience, and ability to meet their needs themselves.
Build on beneficial traditions.