Case study (9) January is often a busy month for healers. Other than the t!volo who are supposedly more active this time of year, there are many people coming back for the holidays and visiting relatives who take the opportunity to see healers in the places they are visiting. January 1999 was particularly busy for Lilopau. Within three days Lilopau started treating three patients that took up much of her time for the following four weeks. 4 All received treatment at hospital, either before or after Lilopau's treatment. Lilopau ascertained t!volo involvement in all three illnesses. The initial biomedical diagnosis, Lilopau's diagnosis and my tentative prognosis were confounded by a totally unexpected and unfortunate outcome in one case.5 Toutouofa (a young married woman with a swollen face) While on other business Lilopau came across Toutouofa. They had met before, Lilopau has a brother who lives in Toutouofa's natal village on the main island of Tongatapu. Lilopau noticed that Toutouofa was not as communicative as usual. She tried to conceal the swollen and crooked right side of her face that was causing her much embarrassment, and which Lilopau described as hipa 'a e mata (lit. face was crooked). Lilopau felt that it was her fatongia (duty) to treat her and asked her to come to her house for treatment. Many people comment on Toutouofa's anga lelei (good character, well behaved, kind) which is perhaps most manifest in her 'ofa ('love') for her two young children and husband. Toutouofa lies on the floor with Lilopau sitting cross legged at her head. Lilopau holds her head in her left hand; her other hand holding the piece of 4
Toutouofa (10/1/1999-26/01/1999), (12/01/1999-08/02/1999). 5
Lalao
(11/01/1999-16/01/1999),
Pouanga
There is, however, artifice in their amalgamation. They have been separated from the flux of patients that Lilopau saw at this time, as well at the flux of social life they participated in. I had privileged access, but only through my association with Lilopau. For the most part I only saw them when Lilopau did.
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