Cirrus@Austlit

'Across Aboriginal Australia there is a category of people, both men and women, who use a combination of medicinal plants, physical manipulation and energetic and psychic healing in providing ‘health care services’ to their community. They play an important social role, covering the domains of medical practitioner and psychologist, as well as spirit medium and exorcist. While the names for this category naturally vary across language groups (e.g. Wangkangurru minparu, Diyari kunki, Pitjantjatjara ngangkari), in English these people are consistently referred to as ‘doctors’ or ‘clever people’.'  (Introduction)