Braided Medicine: Early Foundations

The concept behind the Braided Medicine Institute did not begin as an abstract idea. It grew out of years of hands-on collaboration, clinical exchange, and field experience across Tanzania.

2015 — Clinical Exchange at Tengeru Hospital
Through an active Memorandum of Understanding with Tengeru Hospital in Arusha District, we coordinated a cross-cultural training exchange involving doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists. Workshops included demonstrations of traditional bodywork approaches such as fire cupping and gua sha, using locally available materials and practical clinical discussion.

2015 — Traditional Healing Field Visits in Singida
During the same period, visits were organized with traditional healers in Singida to observe indigenous therapeutic practices and discuss their cultural and historical context. These exchanges emphasized the importance of respecting both traditional knowledge systems and modern clinical environments.

2016–2019 — Continuing Practitioner Exchanges
Additional practitioner visits and collaborations followed, including workshops, volunteer programs, and practitioner discussions exploring herbal medicine, manual therapy, and integrative wellness approaches.

2019 — Online Continuing Education Pilot
An early continuing education platform was launched through LearnWorlds, bringing together Chinese medicine practitioners and international collaborators to explore integrative health topics relevant to African contexts.

2024–Present — Development of the Braided Medicine Framework
These experiences informed the development of the concept of the Braided Medicine Institute: an educational model that honors the intersection of African traditional medicine, Chinese medicine, and modern clinical practice through respectful collaboration and shared learning.