Collective African memory as restorative healing and relearning: a storytelling and dreams discussion
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: African Ancestors transfer memory mainly through storytelling, which is one of the few African knowledge systems and ways of recording that is still active and strong despite western disruption. These stories, sometimes real, sometimes fables carry great significance. They remind Africans of forgotten history, lineage, land, healing practices, art, sustainable practices, science, spirituality, and many other things. These stories were constructed by ancestors, to communicate an important message to the future generation, to ensure their memory and important lessons from their era exist even long after their physical bodies have left the earth. Ancestors also transfer memory through dreams and visions. These can come naturally or through rituals and the use of plant medicine like dream root. Storytelling and narratives shared by African healers (Mountain Doctors) is also an important methodology. The voices and experiences of the interlocutors are used to illustrate the pluralistic ways ancestors share memory through names, language, plant medicines and through other pluralistic means.
Source: Safundi
Author: Nombulelo Tholithemba Shange
Institution: University of the Free State
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: National Research Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W4406621588