The study records thaumaturgic methods of curing and preventing illness and misfortune as practiced by curandeiros (curers, folk doctors) using an ethnographic-linguistic approach based on fieldwork in the Reconcavo area of the State of Bahia in Northeast Brazil. The Reconcavo is a fairly narrow strip of land surrounding the Bay of All the Saints with its social and economic focus at Salvador, the capital of Bahia State. The study is structured to give particular attention to an examination of the religious based on which these practices may be founded, to include condomble, a religion of African origin which became rooted in this area with the importation of slaves, principally from west Africa from the middle of the sixteenth century to the middle of the of the nineteenth; Catholicism as introduced by the Portuguese and other Iberian colonizers; indigenous religions and Spiritism. Points of similarity in curing methods that may have existed among African, Puropean and indigenous cultures represented in the Reconcavo are also examined in an attempt trace how some of these similarities may have fused in a gradual process of syncretism to produce corandeirismo as it exists in the area today. The study is concluded with an assessment of the extent to which curandeirismo is practiced in the Reconcavo and the likelihood of its survival. Proceeding from a brief historical survey of the Reconcavo and its colonization, development and economy, the writer examines the different religious currents brought by colonization and population movement, giving a resume of the main doctrines of Spiritism and an account of traditional Candomble to include an exposition of the patterns of belief on which the present Candomble de caboclo is based. He then discusses the persistence and evolution of African religion in Brazil, and the dual role of the priest and curer in African-based religion. Aspects of the curing process such as ritual beating, fumigation, bathing and symbolic purgation of evil are then examined, together with details of ritual procedure and the incantations which accompany many of them. Powders and herbs, their properties and uses are then analysed, the function and composition of amulets in preventing and curing illness is then studied, as is the use of curing prayers, a number of which are transcribed and annotated. The study is illustrated with maps and photographs. Herbs employed in the rituals discussed are listed in appendices, and there is a glossary of non-English terms.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2004. / lolu lucwaningo loluphatselene nenhlonipho nemitselel,a yayo esiveni semaSwati. luhleleke ngetehluko letisihlanu kantsi lugcile kakhulu kumaSwati latfolakala ngekhatsi eveni lase5watini. 5ehluko 1. Sendlalela lucwaningo ngekuchaza ngenhlonipho jikelele, sivete tinhloso telucwaningo, tindlela tekucwaninga kanye nemkhawulo welucwaningo. Sigcina ngekuveta umlandvo wemaSwati kafishane. Sehluko 2. Siveta inhlonipho letfolakala kuletindzawo letilandzelako; emphakatsi, etikolweni, emasontfweni kanye nasemihlanganweni. Siphindze sivete inhlonipho legcanyiswa bantfu labadvuna nalabasikati ngekwehlukana kwetigaba taboo 5ehluko 3. Sichaza kabanti ngenhlonipho yesive semaSwati, siphindze sibuke inhlonipho legcama etibhimbini nasemikhosini lemikhulu yesive lehambisana nemasiko nemihambo yemaSwati lengiyona isekele sive. 5ehluko 4. Sibuka kuteka kanye nalamanye emasiko esiSwati lapho kufike kugcame inhlonipho yawo, lokufaka ekhatsi kufa nemisimeto lephatselene nako. Siphindze sibuke tinanatelo nelulwimi ngeligalelo letinalo ekugcamiseni inhlonipho kanye nekuyifundzisa kulabasakhula. 5ehluko 5. Sisongela ndzawonye konkhe lokutse kwacwaningwa ngako kulolucwaningo. Sibuye siphawule ngalokutfolakele elucwaningweni, siphindze sivete netincomo.

In Africa, the importance of medicinal plants in folklore medicine and their contribution to primary healthcare is well recognized. Across the continent, local herbal mixtures still provide the only therapeutic option for about 80% of the population. The vast floral diversity and the intrinsic ethnobotanical knowledge has been the backbone of localized traditional herbal medical practices. In Africa, an estimated 5400 of the 60000 described plant taxa possess over 16300 therapeutic uses. Similarly, with a therapeutic flora comprising of approximately 650 species, herbal medical practitioners in South Africa, make use of a plethora of plants to treat different human diseases and infections. Over the years, studies have identified numerous plant species with potential against chronic metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Globally, the incidence and prevalence of T2DM have reached epidemic proportions affecting people of all ages, nationalities and ethnicity. Considered the fourth leading cause of deaths by disease, T2DM is a global health crisis with an estimated diagnosis and mortality frequency of 1 every 5 seconds and 1 every 7 seconds respectively. Though the exact pathophysiology of T2DM is not entirely understood, initial peripheral insulin resistance in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle with subsequent pancreatic β-cell dysfunction resulting from an attempt to compensate for insulin resistance is a common feature of the disease. The current approach to treating T2DM is the use of oral antidiabetic agents (OAAs), insulin, and incretin-based drugs in an attempt to achieve glycaemic control and maintain glucose homeostasis. However, conventional anti-T2DM drugs have been shown to have limited efficacies and serious adverse effects. Hence, the need for newer, more efficacious and safer anti-T2DM agents. Sutherlandia frutescens subsp. microphylla is a flowering shrub of the pea family (Fabaceae/Leguminaceae) found mainly in the Western Cape and Karoo regions of Southern Africa. Concoctions of various parts of the plant are used in the management of different ailments including T2DM. However, despite extensive biological and pharmacological studies, few analyses exist of the chemical constituents of S. frutescens and no Triple Time of Flight Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (Triple TOF LC/MS/MS) analysis has been performed. The initial aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical profile of hot aqueous, cold aqueous, 80% ethanolic, 100% ethanolic, 80% methanolic and 100% methanolic extracts of a single source S. frutescens plant material using colorimetric and spectrophotometric analysis. The hot aqueous extractant was found to be the best extractant for S. frutescens, yielding 1.99 g of crude extract from 16 g fresh powdered plant material. This data suggests that application of heat and water as the extractant (hot aqueous) could play a vital role in extraction of bioactive compounds from S. frutescens and also justifies the traditional use of a tea infusion of S. frutescens. Colorimetric analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, flavonols, tannins, and phenols in all extracts with varying intensity. The organic extracts 100% methanol, 80% and 100% ethanol exhibited high color intensity (+++) for flavonoids and flavonols respectively, while all the extracts exhibited a moderate color intensity (++) for tannins and phenols. Spectrophotometric analysis of S. frutescens extracts revealed that all the organic extracts contained a significantly higher concentration (in mg/g of extract) of flavonols and tannins when compared to the aqueous extracts. All extracts contained approximately equal levels of phenols. These data confirm the presence of all four groups of bioactive phytocompounds in the S. frutescens extracts used in this study, and also confirm that different solvent extractants possess the capability to differentially extract specific groups of phytocompounds. in individual extracts. Further comparison of these compounds with online databases of anti-diabetic phytocompounds led to the preliminary identification of 10 possible anti-diabetic compounds; α-Pinene, Limonene, Sabinene, Carvone, Myricetin, Rutin, Stigmasterol, Emodin, Sarpagine and Hypoglycin B in crude and solid phase extraction (SPE) fractions of S. frutesecens. Furthermore, using two hepatic cell lines (Chang and HepG2) as an in-vtro model system, the anti-T2DM properties of crude aqueous and organic extracts of S. frutescents was investigated and compared. Both aqueous and organic extracts of S. frutescens were found to decrease gluconeogenesis, increase glucose uptake and decrease lipid accumulation (Triacylglycerol, Diacylglycerol, and Monoacylglycerol) in Chang and HepG2 hepatic cell cultures made insulin resistant (IR) following exposure to high concentration of insulin and fructose. Using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the aqueous and organic extracts of S. frutescens were confirmed to regulate the expression of Vesicle-associated membrane protein 3 (VAMP3), Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8), and Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) in insulin resistant hepatic cells. IR-mediated downregulation of VAMP3, MAPK8, and IRS1 mRNA in IR HepG2 hepatic cell cultures was reversed in the presence of aqueous and organic extracts of S. frutescens. The hot aqueous extract displayed the highest activity in all the assays, while all the organic extracts displayed similar potency. In conclusion, this study reports that aqueous and organic extracts of S. frutescens possess numerous anti-diabetic compounds that can be further investigated for the development of new, more efficacious and less toxic anti-diabetic agents. The presence of multiple compounds in a single extract does suggest a synergistic or combinatorial therapeutic effect. These findings support the burgeoning body of in-vivo and in-vitro literature evidence on the anti-diabetic properties of S. frutescens and its use in folklore medicine.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Microbiology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Schkuhria pinnata was selected for this study based on its use in traditional medicine. This study was aimed at isolating and charactserising antimycobacterial compounds from S. pinnata. Different extraction procedures coupled with solvents of varying polarities were used in extraction of the plant materials. Solvents of intermediate polarity had the highest mass of the extracts and serial exhaustive extraction was the best extraction procedure which extracted high amounts of plant material obtained with dichloromethane solvent. The chromatograms were developed in three solvent systems (BEA, CEF and EMW) and sprayed with vanillin-sulphuric acid reagent for colour development. Different colours on the chromatograms indicated various phytochemical constituents. Standard chemical tests confirmed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, phlabotannins, terpenes, steroids, cardiac glycosides and saponins. It was discovered that S. pinnata possesses high phenolic and tannin content which could be behind the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities observed. Antioxidant activity was analysed using 2, 2–diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) qualitative and quantitative experiments. Chromatograms were sprayed with 0.2% DPPH solution, yellow bands or spot against the purple background indicated the presence of antioxidant compounds. On quantitative analysis methanol extracts had a good scavenging activity at various concentrations. Ferric ion reducing power of antioxidants from plant extracts was determined using FRAP assay. S. pinnata extracts had high ferric reducing power which was in a concentration-dependent manner. Antimycobacterial activity was evaluated using Bioautography and broth microdilution assays. Plant extracts indicated antimycobacterial activity observed on bioautograms with low MIC values ranging from 0.27 mg/ml to 2.5 mg/ml. African green monkey Vero kidney cells were used to evaluate the toxicity of crude extracts. The plant extract had cytotoxic value of 25 µg/ml with a selectivity index of 0.02 SI. It was observed that S. pinnata had anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-induced Raw 246.7 macrophage cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Bioassay guided fractionation on column chromatography managed to isolate two compounds which were characterised using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The compounds were elucidated to be helaingolide and eucannabinolide sesquiterpene lactones. Biological assays indicated that the compounds were active against Mycobacterium smegmatis. The compounds were toxic to Vero monkey kidney cells with less than 30 µg/ml LC50 value and <1 selectivity index. These compounds had a good anti- inflammatory activity on LPS-induced Raw 246.7 macrophage cells which was in a concentration dependent manner. The compounds can be used as new leads in the development of anti-inflammatory and antimycobacterial drugs. The crude extracts and the isolated compounds from S. pinnata should be evaluated for their cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects in in vivo experiments. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Submitted in fulfillment of the Master’s Degree in Homoeopathy, Department of Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Aim The aim of this homoeopathic proving study was to determine and document the arising symptomatology of Acacia xanthophloea (Fever tree) in the potentised homoeopathic form, 30CH, and to provide this data for inclusion to the homoeopathic materia medica. The results of this proving study and comparative analysis to African traditional medicinal uses of this substance confirms the potential therapeutic value of the remedy. Methodology The homoeopathic drug proving of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH was conducted in the form of a double blinded placebo controlled study. The investigation consisted of a total of 30 provers divided equally between two researchers ((A. Gobind and G. Zondi). The sample was randomly divided into two groups in which 24 provers(80%) were assigned into the verum group and the remaining six provers (20%) were allocated to the placebo group. All provers were requested to record their daily symptoms on the physical, mental and emotional planes in their journals for one week prior to administration of the proving substance. This formed as a mode of control for the comparison of symptomatology for the pre-proving and post proving period. A thorough case history was taken and physical examination performed on each prover before the commencement of the proving and after the duration of the proving period. Each prover received a total of nine powders. Starting on day 8 of the study the provers consumed one powder three times a day for three days and documented their daily symptoms in a journal. The duration of the proving term was six weeks in total. During this interval the researcher maintained consistent contact with the provers. Upon completion of the proving period all journals were collected and the information contained within these journals was translated into the materia medica and repertory format. This facilitated the establishment of the remedy portrait of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH. A subsequent comparison between the symptomatology that materialised in the provers and the African traditional medicinal uses was duly conducted. Results An extensive range of symptoms was reported by the provers. The outstanding themes that emanated from this proving on the mental plane include anger, anxiety, aversion to company, cheerful, depression, irritability, mood swings, restlessness, tranquillity and stress. A broad range of headaches were described with some headaches being associated with the eye. There were many eye symptoms displayed by the provers which include itching, redness, burning sensation and pain. The stomach symptoms revealed marked increased thirst, changeable appetite, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea with watery stools.The female genitalia / sex indicated several symptoms ranging from painful menstruation, bleeding and copious blood flow.The greatest number of symptoms in a system was associated with extremities, producing the greatest number of rubrics in the repertory section. Dream themes depicted by the provers were especially visionary, about family and friends in addition to other themes. The correlation process between the homoeopathic drug proving of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH and the African traditional medicinal use of the substance brought several resemblances to light.There were clear similarities with the eye symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms and headaches. Conclusion As hypothesised Acacia xanthophloea 30CH did produce distinctly observable signs and symptoms when administered to healthy provers. The symptoms that emerged during the proving provide evidence that an overlay exists between the remedy Acacia xanthphloea 30CH and the traditional use of the crude substance Acacia xanthophloea. The researcher proposes that further research should be conducted to determine the symptomatology of various homoeopathic potencies so that a complete image of the remedy Acacia xanthophloea 30CH can be established and the clinical applications can be broadened. / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the Master’s Degree in Homoeopathy, Department of Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Aim The aim of this homoeopathic proving study was to determine and document the arising symptomatology of Acacia xanthophloea (Fever tree) in the potentised homoeopathic form, 30CH, and to provide this data for inclusion to the homoeopathic materia medica. The results of this proving study and comparative analysis to African traditional medicinal uses of this substance confirms the potential therapeutic value of the remedy. Methodology The homoeopathic drug proving of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH was conducted in the form of a double blinded placebo controlled study. The investigation consisted of a total of 30 provers divided equally between two researchers ((A. Gobind and G. Zondi). The sample was randomly divided into two groups in which 24 provers(80%) were assigned into the verum group and the remaining six provers (20%) were allocated to the placebo group. All provers were requested to record their daily symptoms on the physical, mental and emotional planes in their journals for one week prior to administration of the proving substance. This formed as a mode of control for the comparison of symptomatology for the pre-proving and post proving period. A thorough case history was taken and physical examination performed on each prover before the commencement of the proving and after the duration of the proving period. Each prover received a total of nine powders. Starting on day 8 of the study the provers consumed one powder three times a day for three days and documented their daily symptoms in a journal. The duration of the proving term was six weeks in total. During this interval the researcher maintained consistent contact with the provers. Upon completion of the proving period all journals were collected and the information contained within these journals was translated into the materia medica and repertory format. This facilitated the establishment of the remedy portrait of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH. A subsequent comparison between the symptomatology that materialised in the provers and the African traditional medicinal uses was duly conducted. Results An extensive range of symptoms was reported by the provers. The outstanding themes that emanated from this proving on the mental plane include anger, anxiety, aversion to company, cheerful, depression, irritability, mood swings, restlessness, tranquillity and stress. A broad range of headaches were described with some headaches being associated with the eye. There were many eye symptoms displayed by the provers which include itching, redness, burning sensation and pain. The stomach symptoms revealed marked increased thirst, changeable appetite, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea with watery stools.The female genitalia / sex indicated several symptoms ranging from painful menstruation, bleeding and copious blood flow.The greatest number of symptoms in a system was associated with extremities, producing the greatest number of rubrics in the repertory section. Dream themes depicted by the provers were especially visionary, about family and friends in addition to other themes. The correlation process between the homoeopathic drug proving of Acacia xanthophloea 30CH and the African traditional medicinal use of the substance brought several resemblances to light.There were clear similarities with the eye symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms and headaches. Conclusion As hypothesised Acacia xanthophloea 30CH did produce distinctly observable signs and symptoms when administered to healthy provers. The symptoms that emerged during the proving provide evidence that an overlay exists between the remedy Acacia xanthphloea 30CH and the traditional use of the crude substance Acacia xanthophloea. The researcher proposes that further research should be conducted to determine the symptomatology of various homoeopathic potencies so that a complete image of the remedy Acacia xanthophloea 30CH can be established and the clinical applications can be broadened. / M

This thesis examined the in vitro and in vivo anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic activities of five African medicinal plants which are traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus viz; Ziziphus mucronata, Cassia singueana, Parkia biglobosa, Khaya senegalensis and Vitex doniana. Ethanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous crude extracts of the stem bark, root and leaf samples of each of the plants (a total of 45 crude extracts) were investigated for detailed anti-oxidative activity and the most active crude extract from each plant was selected for further fractionation with solvents of increasing polarity. Subsequently, the solvent fractions derived from these crude extracts (a total of 21 fractions) were also subjected to the anti-oxidative assays as well as α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities assays. Results from these assays revealed that the butanol fractions from crude extracts of Z. mucronata, P. biglobosa, K. senegalensis and V. doniana and the acetone fraction from the crude extract of C. singueana were the most bioactive. Kinetic delineation of the types of enzyme inhibitions exerted by these most active fractions as well as measurement of relevant kinetic parameters (KM, Vmax and Kᵢ) were done using Lineweaver-Burke’s plot. Furthermore, the most active fractions were also subjected to GC-MS analysis and in vivo intervention trial in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats (except fraction from V. doniana). The in vivo studies revealed that all the fractions possessed potent in vivo anti-T2D activity (to varying extent) and the possible mechanisms of actions were proposed. Furthermore, most of the fractions were able to ameliorate the T2D-associated complications. Analysis of in vivo oxidative stress markers such as glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, superoxide dismutase and catalase in the serum, liver, kidney, heart and pancreas of the animals also gave a clue in to the possible mechanism of action. Bioassay guided isolation was used to track the bioactive anti-diabetic compounds from these fractions via column chromatography. The isolated compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, 2D NMR (in two cases) and mass spectroscopy (in one case). From this study, 2,7-dihydroxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, 3β-O-acetyl betulinic acid, lupeol and bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-2,3,5triol were identified as the possible bioactive compounds from Z. mucronata, C. singueana, P. biglobosa, K. senegalensis solvent fractions respectively. The findings of this work are important for the relevant government agencies, pharmaceutical industries, scientific community and poor diabetic patients because it might open an avenue for the development of viable and cost effective anti-diabetic herbal products and/or novel plant-derived anti-diabetic drugs. / Ph.D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

<p align="justify">Dans les pays en voie de développement et plus particulièrement en Afrique, la médecine traditionnelle est parfois la seule source de soins abordable et accessible,surtout pour les patients les plus pauvres.</p><p><p align="justify">Le présent travail a été réalisé dans le but de rechercher les preuves scientifiques de l’activité anthelminthique des extraits d’amandes de Balanites aegyptiaca utilisés en médecine traditionnelle africaine et d’évaluer une activité potentiellement anti-tumorale du ou des principe(s) actif(s) responsable(s) de l’activité anthelminthique.</p><p><p align="justify">Pour caractériser l’activité nématocide des extraits des amandes de Balanites aegyptiaca,nous avons tout d’abord mis au point un test d’évaluation de l’activité toxique en tenant compte des limitations des tests existants. La validation pharmacologique (mesurant la sélectivité, la linéarité, l’exactitude et la précision) a consisté en la détermination de l’activité nématocide d’anthelminthiques couramment utilisés. Pour la caractérisation de l’activité nématocide des amandes de Balanites aegyptiaca, puis le fractionnement, l’isolement et la purification de(s) agent(s) nématocide(s) nous avons adopté la stratégie du fractionnement bio-guidé. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le produit isolé (déterminé comme étant la balanitine-7 ou Bal-7) induit une activité toxique plus élevée sur les vers adultes que sur les stades larvaires.</p><p><p align="justify">Bal-7 s’est avéré moins toxique que le levamisole, le mébendazole et le thiabendazole, mais plus toxique que le pyrantel, le niclosamide et la pipérazine. La présente étude a donc permis de montrer que les amandes de Balanites aegyptiaca, utilisée en médecine traditionnelle au Burkina Faso, pourraient être efficaces dans le traitement des parasitoses intestinales.</p><p><p align="justify">Certains anthelminthiques comme les benzimidazoles, du fait de leur activité d’inhibition de la polymérisation des tubulines, présentent une activité anti-tumorale. Aussi, faisant suite à la mise en évidence de l’activité nématocide de Bal-7 nous avons entrepris de caractériser l’activité anti-tumorale de balanitines. La méthode d’extraction que nous avons utilisé pour évaluer l’effet anti-tumoral de la Bal-7 est distincte de celle que nous avions utilisée pour évaluer l’effet anthelminthique de cette balanitine. Ainsi, alors que la méthode d’extraction que nous avons utilisée pour obtenir de la Bal-7 pour nos tests liés à l’activité anthelminthique semble avoir conduit à l’isolement de la balanitine-7 pure, la méthode d’extraction que nous avons utilisée pour observer les effets anti-tumoraux potentiels de cette balanitine-7 nous ont conduit à isoler un mélange de balanitine-6 et de balanitine-7 dans des proportions de 28/72%. Nous avons dénommé ce mélange Bal-6/7. L’activité anti-tumorale a été évaluée sur deux lignées cancéreuses humaines (A549, cancer du poumon non-à-petites cellules et U373, glioblastome). Dans ce travail, nous avons montré que Bal-6/7 induit la mort des cellules tumorales par une déplétion marquée de l’[ATP]i et une désorganisation majeure du cytosquelette d’actine. In vivo, Bal-6/7 a montré une activité anti-tumorale modeste, mais néanmoins statistiquement significative. A ce jour, il n’existe pas sur le marché, d’anti-cancéreux dirigé contre les filaments d’actine. Etant donné le rôle de ces filaments d’actine dans la prolifération et la migration des cellules tumorales, le développement de médicaments ayant cette protéine pour cible constituerait une avancée majeure dans la recherche de nouvelles thérapies anti-tumorales. Le mélange Bal-6/7, isolé pour la caractérisation de l’activité anti-tumorale des balanitines, du fait de son potentiel anti-tumoral, présente donc un intérêt certain en thérapeutique anti-cancéreuse. Il serait donc envisageable de développer par synthèse ou hémisynthèse des dérivés de balanitines présentant un meilleur index thérapeutique que le mélange Bal-6/7.</p> / Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Pharmacology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Pharmacology / unrestricted

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