BOOK REVIEWS149Yet some of these very musicians connive with record companies to record andsell their comrades* compositions without paying royalties! (p. 66).Roots Rocking in Zimbabwe does address itself to issues other than thesemachinations. But the latter dominate the book, making it a chronicle of thebare-knuckle brawl that the music industry seems to be today. I empathize withthe small man caught between the companies on the one hand, and an ineffectualpoliticking union on the other. The book could have gained considerably from areproduction or two of the one-sided contracts which our musicians allegedlyenter with the record companies. Zindi's enormous amount of knowledge of theshady goings-on in this industry is bound to disarm readers, as will his first-name-first "Reference* section of the book which implies Ms intimate knowledge of theprofession, the personalties and the industry that lie is writing about. The gloomthat envelops this publication must be alleviated by the knowledge thatmusic is the first of the ine arts, by which every mind is moved. But music, however erodeand simple, speaks to every human heart, and this, with dance, constitutes nature's generalfestival throughout the earth; for the music of a nation in its most imperfect form andfavourite tunes, displays the internal character of the peoples (J. G. Herder).One hopes that all concerned will realize this and give our music due respect.University of ZimbabweA. J, C. PONGWENIThe Traditional Medical Practitioner In Zimbabwe By M. Gelfand, S, MaviR. B. DrumrnondomdB. Ndemera Gwera, Mambo Press, Zamtoeziana 17,1985,x, 411 pp., illus., ZS43.70 (p/b), ISBN G-86922-35Q-X.This book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the principles andpractice of the traditional healer. In this part the authors describe how individualsin Zimbabwe become traditional healers, the various methods used in Zimbabweio carrying out a diagnosis, witchcraft beliefs, preventive medicine, midwifery,psychiatric practice, and some of the commonly treated illnesses. The second partis focused on the plants used by traditional healers in the treatment of variousillnesses. This second part of the book is further divided into sections. The firstsection consists of an alphabetical list of complaints, symptoms and other reasonsfor which traditional healers in their sample were consulted, and under eachheading the plante prescribed are listed, also in alphabetical order. The number oftraditional healers interviewed for this second part of the study was 250. Thissection is followed by a table with the same list of plants but indicates in somedetail how these plants are often used by traditional healers. The next section is acomparison of plant remedies used in Zimbabwe and other African countries. Inthe last section some poisonous plants that are sometimes used by traditionalhealers are described.In the preface (p. ix) Gelfand says that the first part of the book contains, *a150BOOK REVIEWSmore detailed general survey of the practice of the n'anga than attemptedhitherto'. I do not agree. The material presented in this part of the book issuperficial. There is nothing here that Gelfand and others have not said beforeabout traditional medical practice in Zimbabwe. Some of Gelfand's own books,published before the present one, contain more detailed information thanpresented here. Much of the information presented in this part of the book wasobtained from small surveys conducted by the authors. In the first survey onlythirty-four traditional healers were included in the study; we are not told whenthis survey was carried out. The second survey was conducted in 1980; fiftytraditional healers were included in this survey. These traditional healers weremainly from the Greater Harare area. Another survey was conducted in a ruralarea called Seke. Only nine traditional healers were interviewed. The samplesdrawn up for these three surveys were obviously too small: it was anunrepresentative sample. Information gathered by the Zimbabwe NationalTraditional Healers Association indicates that there are about 30,000 traditionalhealers in Zimbabwe. I am not suggesting, however, that the findings of thepresent study are always wrong; many of the findings support those of severalprevious studies. People interested in traditional medical practice in Zimbabweshould read other studies in addition to the present one in order to get a betterunderstanding of this subject.The second part of the book is rather different. A lot of work went into thepreparation of it, and the material presented is extremely valuable. Althoughmuch work still needs to be done, the authors have given us a record of the plantscommonly used by traditional healers. This record is important for two mainreasons. The first is that some of the plants used by traditional healers arebecoming extinct. One aim of the study, therefore, was to make a record of theseplants before this valuable information is lost. Secondly, it is true that knowledgeof the various medicinal plants is being gradually lost each year in Africa as peoplebecome more and more dependent on Western medicines; the authors haveattempted to preserve this knowledge. It is also interesting to note that 60 per centof the plants said to be of medicinal value in Zimbabwe were also used in otherAfrican countries to treat the same sort of complaints as in Zimbabwe. Thisinformation will make the work of other scientists much easier because if a plantis being administered for a similar reason by traditional healers in differentcountries, it deserves further scientific investigation. Experimental research is nowrequired so that the pharmacological properties of these various plants may berecorded. Some work has already begun in a number of African countries.The book as a whole is an important contribution to our understanding oftraditional medicine not only in Zimbabwe but in many other African countriesas well. It should be read by persons interested in the field of illness and health.University of ZimbabweG. L. CHAVUNDUKA