Abstract

This paper presents a review of coexistence and struggle between Bori, an indigenous spirit-possession healing system, and Quranic-grounded Islamic healing in the form of Ruƙiyya, in the Hausa society. Based on the theories of syncretism, postcolonial analysis and symbolic interactionism, it examines how the tensions that prevail in the realm of theology, gender tensions and social-religious changes affect the interplay between these two paradigms. Whereas the practice of ruqyah has legitimacy in both the Islamic orthodoxy and the reformist movements such as those of Izala and Salafiyya, Bori continues to exist in the rural and peripheral societies where it has transformed its practices to accommodate Islamic traditions to remain alive. The paper pinpoints the fact that health-seeking is usually a pragmatic choice; that people strive to position themselves on both sides of systems to be spiritually healthy. It is also concerned with implications of preservation of cultural identity, policy making and religious governance. These results highlight the importance of having culturally sensitive health policies which honour the indigenous knowledge together with the religious reform since it shows that preservation of cultures does not have to conflict with religious orthodoxy. The work is based on field and text sources
Keywords: Bori, Ruƙiyya, Hausa Society and Syncretism, Religious Pluralism, Indigenous Systems of Healing