Back to Basics: “Non”-traditional or “Alternative” Healing | A Natural Oxymoron
Ras Bobby Vending at Farmer’s Market Photo credit @AishaZakiyaBoyd
A natural healer indeed, Ras Bobby Olivacce, residing in the Virgin Islands, was born to heal. If nothing else proves it, his family lineage allowed for him to be born into healing with the use of herbs and plants as the primary source for encouraging healing and the life experiences that followed confirmed his fate to this day.
Raised in Dominica, a central Caribbean island from age of 4, most people had farms where Ras Bobby grew up and he went to their farms daily and herbs were taught to him by his family. His parents gave him herbs first thing in the morning in the form of teas for general well-being or colds and fevers.
“In 1978, a Rastafarian was the first person who spoke to me about the therapeutic uses of healing herbs.”
He travelled for a few weeks to other French Caribbean islands and on his last day, the end of the trip was Martinique. At the airport leaving, he met Dr. Sebi, a world renowned pathologist, herbalist, biochemist, and naturalist from Spanish Honduras. Someone in California had encouraged Dr. Sebi to visit Dominica.
“It was like a calling, like I just had to be doing this.”
“Meeting Sebi at 22, I was already seeing what herbs were doing,”
…experientially himself by using recommended herbs from childhood for various conditions. Within a few minutes of using the first herbs ever suggested to him by Dr. Sebi, Ras Bobby’s headache was gone. This was Dr. Sebi’s first time ever visiting so Bobby became his tour guide to Dominica. So receiving the Back to Eden book from the Rastafarian man, meeting Dr. Sebi three weeks later, then becoming his tour guide back to Dominica and experiencing the effects for himself led to Ras Bobby’s revelation that he as destined to become a healer.
According to Dr. Chenzira Davis Kahina, a Naturopathic Healer, Psychotherapist, Midwife and commonly consulted resource on natural healers, Ras Bobby’s qualifications are based on his experiential background.
“His area falls under a non-traditional or alternative medicine approach.”
She’s experienced some of his presentations, met with some of his clients/patients and witnessed the work that he’s done here in the Virgin Islands as well as in Dominica.
“He’s had a chance to learn from his family line and do the research and educational reinforcement as well as practical use of the various elixirs and herbal medicinal products that he’s produced over the years.”
Though he didn’t spend clinical hours per se in a contemporary collegiate setting going through clinical evaluative processes, “his evaluative processes were learned from what was passed down through his family lineage as well as his actual practical experiences.” He has alliances with international herbal and traditional healing organizations and learned directly from the onset of his training from noted Naturopaths including Dr. Sebi.
Bobby has successfully assisted with the healing of severe ailments including cancer, kidney stones, fibroids insulin use and others. What makes him more unique from other healers is his open and public desire to highlight and support all other healers and healing art forms. Ras Bobby has been the driving force of the highly anticipated International Healers Symposium. Held annually on St. Thomas, a major focus on September 21st, 2014 will be the use of local herbs to aid in the healing from the Chikungunya virus.
As he shared, some call him a Naturopathic Healer, Traditional Healer, “some people call me a Rasta Shaman.”
Whichever the terms, which to him are synonymous, the story of Healer Ras Bobby Olivacce, would make anyone question the need for the prefix “non” in the expression, non-traditional healer.
DaraMonifah interviewing Ras Bobby at the Bordeaux Farmer’s Market on St. Thomas, VI @SankofaSaturdays photo by Majestik Freedom and Harmony Olivacce
For more info about Ras Bobby and the Healing Symposium, call 340-775-0851 or email rasbobby2000@yahoo.com
LIVE Radio Interview:
http://tinyurl.com/TuneIn2SankofaSaturdays for the full LIVE radio interview and the #SoundCloud.com upload immediately after on Saturday, September 20th during the 2nd hour of our weekly radio program. Listen live on www.wuvi.am or #TuneIn at http://tun.in/seqFx
