Perspectives on Music Healing by Traditional Healers and Music Therapists

The majority of South Africans use both traditional and Western healthcare services. Although traditional healers have long since recognized and utilized the healing power of music, music therapy as a profession in this country is largely aligned with Western medical approaches, as it is regulated by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. This alignment leaves little recognition to traditional health practitioners. In the current study, we explored music therapists’ and traditional healers’ perceptions of their roles and relationships with each other in South African healthcare with the hope of initiating dialogue. Four traditional healers (TH) and four music therapists (MT) participated in interviews within this multiple case study, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. We identified eight overarching themes that appeared most salient to the music therapists and traditional healers (framed from their perspectives): (1) Both our practices support wellbeing, with music as a tool; (2) We both seek to enhance general well-being, but with different specializations; (3) We both focus on relational connection; (4) We both emphasize the importance of culture; (5) THs emphasize spirituality; (6) We hold curious, yet cautious regard for each other’s practices; (7) MT may aid in addressing psychosocial needs in South Africa; and (8) We both welcome a pluralism of approaches. Both groups of practitioners envisioned a future healthcare system that embraces multiple modalities while reflecting on the need to engage in issues related to boundaries of scopes of practice. They highlighted the need for greater trust between practitioners from different approaches to serve a diverse population better.