Cultural Guardians: The Sociological Significance of Women Traditional Healers in Community Health and Well-being

  • Unique Paper ID: 171544
  • PageNo: 340-346
  • Abstract:
  • This research article delves into the sociology of women traditional healers, highlighting their pivotal roles, challenges and contributions within their communities. Traditional healing, deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and historical contexts, has served as a vital healthcare system for centuries, often complementing modern medical practices. Women have been instrumental in these practices, acting as primary caregivers, herbalists and spiritual guides, yet they face significant societal stigma, legal barriers and economic constraints that undermine their contributions. The article examines the historical evolution of traditional healing, the cultural significance of women healers and the impact of colonialism on their status. Through various sociological perspectives, including functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism, the research underscores the importance of recognizing the unique challenges faced by women healers, such as marginalization and stigmatization. Furthermore, it emphasizes their essential role in promoting community health, preserving cultural heritage and integrating traditional practices with modern medicine. The findings advocate for future research to explore the intersectionality of race, class and gender in traditional healing, aiming to foster an inclusive healthcare environment that values the contributions of women traditional healers.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{171544,
        author = {Dr. Sameena Sindagikar and Dr. Syed Abrar},
        title = {Cultural Guardians: The Sociological Significance of Women Traditional Healers in Community Health and Well-being},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2024},
        volume = {11},
        number = {8},
        pages = {340-346},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=171544},
        abstract = {This research article delves into the sociology of women traditional healers, highlighting their pivotal roles, challenges and contributions within their communities. Traditional healing, deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and historical contexts, has served as a vital healthcare system for centuries, often complementing modern medical practices. Women have been instrumental in these practices, acting as primary caregivers, herbalists and spiritual guides, yet they face significant societal stigma, legal barriers and economic constraints that undermine their contributions. The article examines the historical evolution of traditional healing, the cultural significance of women healers and the impact of colonialism on their status. Through various sociological perspectives, including functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism, the research underscores the importance of recognizing the unique challenges faced by women healers, such as marginalization and stigmatization. Furthermore, it emphasizes their essential role in promoting community health, preserving cultural heritage and integrating traditional practices with modern medicine. The findings advocate for future research to explore the intersectionality of race, class and gender in traditional healing, aiming to foster an inclusive healthcare environment that values the contributions of women traditional healers.},
        keywords = {},
        month = {December},
        }

Cite This Article

Sindagikar, D. S., & Abrar, D. S. (2024). Cultural Guardians: The Sociological Significance of Women Traditional Healers in Community Health and Well-being. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 11(8), 340–346.

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