ANTC61H3 Study Guide - Culture Of Tonga, Medical Anthropology, Biomedicine
Document Summary
A film on the medical anthropology of tonga. The major concern of the film is the society"s inability to keep up with modernization and prevent the loss of traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is a part of tongan culture and therefore is shown how it is used within society. Eg. , key aspects of traditional healing include the idea that the recipes have been honed over centuries and passed down through families. The power to heal is described as gender neutral (including midwifery), a gift from god, and therefore different from the more transactional approach of biomedicine. Treatment is public, may have an audience, and is free (the fact that this is also true for hospital & government health clinics is omitted). Payment is described as shameful, and while thank-you gifts are acceptable, healers do not make their living with their gifts. All in all, there are six healers that are shown in action in this film.
