| Summary: | The purpose of this research was to investigate what traditional healing
practices African immigrants are using and have ceased to use, during the process
of resettlement into Canadian society. An additional purpose was to investigate
the participants' reasons for using or not using their traditional healing practices.
One aim of the study was to provide information about these traditional
differences and the ways in which professionals in the social service sector
acknowledged African immigrants and have been helpful to them. Another aim of
the study was to identify whether, and in what ways, professionals have been
helpful. The study is important not only for social workers and human service
professionals, but also for African immigrants themselves as well as for African
immigrant community groups within Victoria.
The African immigrants' traditional practices and the ways in which they
adapt and resettle into the new society remain unknown in the literature. Perhaps,
the African immigrants common challenges and their unique traditional approach
to resettlement into the Canadian society have not yet captured the full attention of
social work and human service professionals. This study was grounded in
structural theory, migration theory, settlement theory and adaptation theory in
order to draw theoretical understanding of the relationship between immigrants
resettlement process and their experiences.
The research was qualitative and exploratory. It included a participatory
interview design. Twenty African immigrants from five different regions of
Africa participated in the study. Two distinct traditional practices were identified
(i.e. material tradition and non material tradition) which are the foundation of
African immigrants traditional healing practices. This research has found that the
use or abstention of traditional healing practices in re-settlement depends on the
participants reasons for migration. There were distinct differences in the use or
non-use of traditional healing practices between those who planned (economic),
and those who were forced (political) to migrate === Arts, Faculty of === Social Work, School of === Graduate
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