ABSTRACT

This study investigates the resurgence of ézèńwànyì (defined broadly as traditional female healer/diviner/priestess) in the patriarchal Ìgbò society of Nigeria. We employ ethnographic methods of observation and interview to study two communities in Ǹsúkká-Ìgbò, Southeastern Nigeria. The study finds that there has been a continuing increase in the number of ézèńwànyì, those who make use of their services and a general expansion of the practices of ézèńwànyì in the area. One of the reasons for this new trajectory, we discovered, is people’s inability to find solutions to life-threatening issues in other religions and the framing and conscious placing of subjective value on some elements in African Religion which include the practice of ézèńwànyì. The rebirth of this tradition shows how difficult it is to abandon a cultural form engraved in the minds of a homogenous group of people irrespective of the sweeping influence of foreign cultures and religions. Our findings contrast the popular opinion that there has been a decline and abandonment of many practices that are common to African Religion. We conclude that here is a new wave of tenacious belief and trust in the efficacy of the ‘healing powers’ of ézèńwànyì.

摘要

本研究调查了 ézèńwànyì（广义上定义为传统女性治疗师/占卜者/女祭司）在尼日利亚 Ìgbò 父权制社会中的复兴。我们采用民族志观察和访谈方法研究尼日利亚东南部 Ǹsúkká-Ìgbò 的两个社区。研究发现，ézèńwànyì 的人数持续增加，这些人使用他们的服务，并且 ézèńwànyì 在该地区的做法普遍扩大。我们发现，这一新轨迹的原因之一是人们无法找到解决其他宗教中威胁生命的问题的方法，以及对非洲宗教中某些元素的主观价值的框架和有意识的放置，其中包括 ézèńwànyì 的实践。这一传统的重生表明，无论外国文化和宗教的影响如何，要放弃一种铭刻在同质群体思想中的文化形式是多么困难。我们的发现与流行的观点形成鲜明对比，即非洲宗教常见的许多习俗已经减少和放弃。我们得出结论，这是对 ézèńwànyì 的“治疗力量”功效的顽固信念和信任的新一波浪潮。