Plant Healing as Governance of Life: A Gonja Philosophical Framework for Understanding Human Well-Being
Rashid A Iddrisu Wari
ABSTRACT
This article explores the concept of healing through the Indigenous Ngbarnyi-Gonja worldview of northern Ghana. It argues that healing is not merely a response to illness but a fundamental process of governing life, shaping destiny, and sustaining the integrity of the human being across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.
By examining the cyclical concepts of Aklabi (pre-existence), Nkpa (life), K’bawuta (life-living), and Klamba (destiny), the article positions healing as a dynamic interaction between the self, the environment, and nature. This Indigenous framework offers a transformative understanding of well-being that challenges biomedical reductionism and expands global discussions on holistic health.
