Conflict and Cooperation: The Interplay between Christianity and African Traditional Religions in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Patient-centredness: meaning and propriety in the Botswana, African and non-Western contexts

“…Most Batswana still believe in badimo (ancestral spirits) and Modimo (the Creator). 27 Many Batswana believe in witchcraft, casting of spells, traditional medicine and the power of supernatural agents intervening in their lives. 28 They respect and hold dear the wisdom of grandparents, parents, elders and the customs and practices that have been passed from generation to generation.…”

“…27 Many Batswana believe in witchcraft, casting of spells, traditional medicine and the power of supernatural agents intervening in their lives. 28 They respect and hold dear the wisdom of grandparents, parents, elders and the customs and practices that have been passed from generation to generation. Respect for elders can be ascribed to the fact that elders are sometimes acknowledged as badimo (dead relatives = ancestral spirits) even though they are still alive, 27 because they are thought to have easier access to their ancestral spirits.…”

“…28 They respect and hold dear the wisdom of grandparents, parents, elders and the customs and practices that have been passed from generation to generation. Respect for elders can be ascribed to the fact that elders are sometimes acknowledged as badimo (dead relatives = ancestral spirits) even though they are still alive, 27 because they are thought to have easier access to their ancestral spirits. The advice of traditional doctors or traditional midwives is thus taken seriously because of their connection with badimo .…”