Tisaneur
In Reunion, the tisaneur is a person who produces herbal teas. Known to all, he healed people just herbal.This is the first, which collects and sells what he has harvested. But still, those who sell the plants purchased from a third party.
Barat, an anthropologist, gives his own definition: for him, tisaneur “refers to those who know the medicinal properties of plants are able to heal through massage accompanied by prayers.
Tisaneur – Origin and evolution of the word.
The word ” tisaneur ” is a neologism derived from Reunionese that can qualify an individual as well as female and male Reunionese, where it says “in tizanèr.”
In French, however, it created a new neologism to describe a woman who makes the tea: the “herbal”.
The term ” tisaneur ” was coined in 1982 by Roger Lavergne.
In Creole, “herbal tea” originally meant “drugs”, “poison”. This word was then a negative connotation.
The word “tisaneurs” was originally sentenced to this aspect also pejorative.
However, the word evolved, the tisaneurs becomes the one who cares, that heals.
Recently, the word is part of folklore for tourists visiting the island.
The job of tisaneurs
The job of tisaneur has always existed, although the term was created recently. Tisaneur practices are established for work over many generations. It is a skill that is passed. It is at the crossroads of several professions.
Thus, the tisaneur is also seen as a hypnotist, a healer, a herbalist, but a gatherer and a seller or reseller of plants. However, this business has democratized the last half of the island of Reunion.
Indeed, in the 1950s, the island of Reunion was very weak. There were very few doctors and few means of transportation to get there. That is why the Reunion would see tisaneur for treatment.
Based on the symptoms, tisaneur prepared with different plants on the island, including plants in nurseries, an herbal tea that cured the symptoms.
Previously, the tisaneur was known unofficially. They were then called tisaneurs “brown.” Today, the status of tisaneur has evolved along with that of Reunion society, it is increasingly recognized and can live with such preparations.
Thank you to read this article about tisaneur.















