Meaning
A traditional healer who cures with 'bush' — the leaves, roots, and barks of medicinal plants — rather than with hospital medicine. The bush doctor knows which bush cures which ailment, prepares teas, baths, poultices, and tonics, and is often consulted for illnesses the doctor 'cyaan cure'. The role can shade into spiritual healing, overlapping with the balmist and the myal tradition.
Examples
-
Dem carry di sick child to di bush doctor.
They took the sick child to the herbal healer.
-
Di bush doctor mek a bush bath fi di fever.
The bush doctor made a herbal bath for the fever.
-
When doctor fail, dem try di bush doctor.
When the doctor fails, they try the herbal healer.
Origin
From 'bush' (medicinal plants) + 'doctor'; a traditional herbal healer. See [[bush-tea]], [[balmyard]].
How it’s used
A traditional herbal healer; overlaps balmist/myal traditions. See [[bush-tea]], [[balmyard]], [[myal]].