Contestations Over "Tradition" and "Culture" in a Time of AIDS

Abstract

In Malawi, the distress and unease caused by rising numbers of deaths and chronic illness due to HIV infection have led people to search for explanations. Here, the study describe two particular "turns to culture." Zomba villagers over two decades have come to link AIDS with kanyera, an indigenous illness syndrome. In contrast, the public media, government, and donors blame "promiscuity" and "cultural practices" for HIV infection. The resulting somatization causes people to avoid naming AIDS, and both turns to culture tend to link blame and stigma to women.