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Saka, an ancestral possession: Malaysia

Saka, an ancestral possession: Malaysia This report illustrates a culture‐bound disorder known as “saka” in the local population of Kelantan, as well as other states in Malaysia. It is a form of possession by the spirit of a deceased ancestor who was once a traditional healer or shaman. While in a dissociative state, the patient introduced a 7 × 3–4 cm wooden stick precisely into his inferior rectus muscle, in an attempt to identify with a blind ancestor who showed his presence momentarily and specifically to the patient. The stick remained hidden to ophthalmologists for 17 days and during this period the patient developed right orbital cellulitis, bilateral cavernous sinus thrombosis and sepsis. The stick was identified after the family took the patient home for cultural healing rites to be performed. The patient's altered behavior resolved with the removal of the stick and he returned to his premorbid personality and functioning without psychotropic medication. To date, saka has not been reported in any peer‐reviewed medical journal. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Asia-Pacific Psychiatry Wiley

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References (13)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
ISSN
1758-5864
eISSN
1758-5872
DOI
10.1111/j.1758-5872.2010.00081.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This report illustrates a culture‐bound disorder known as “saka” in the local population of Kelantan, as well as other states in Malaysia. It is a form of possession by the spirit of a deceased ancestor who was once a traditional healer or shaman. While in a dissociative state, the patient introduced a 7 × 3–4 cm wooden stick precisely into his inferior rectus muscle, in an attempt to identify with a blind ancestor who showed his presence momentarily and specifically to the patient. The stick remained hidden to ophthalmologists for 17 days and during this period the patient developed right orbital cellulitis, bilateral cavernous sinus thrombosis and sepsis. The stick was identified after the family took the patient home for cultural healing rites to be performed. The patient's altered behavior resolved with the removal of the stick and he returned to his premorbid personality and functioning without psychotropic medication. To date, saka has not been reported in any peer‐reviewed medical journal.

Journal

Asia-Pacific PsychiatryWiley

Published: Oct 1, 2010

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