PURPOSE
This ethnography was conducted to describe the meaning of illness of the elderly in traditional folk healing performance.
METHOD
This study was guided by Klienman's explanatory model of health care systems. The fieldwork was conducted in an agricultural clan of Namwon City from January of 1990 to Feburary of 2001. Research data were collected by Ehnographic interview and participant observation. Participants of this study were 10 elders aged 74 years old to 96 years old; two of them were male. The data were analysed with the techniques of taxanomy, flow and decision, and proxemics.
RESULT
The meaning of illness was categorized with four compononts, that is, ritual for life, defeat and failure in power game, humiliating punishment for guilt, and Tal. CONCULSION: These meanings were constructed on physical and socio-cultural environment of this clan. The healing strategies were determined based on the meanings of illness. These results can be used to understand the health behavior of the elderly and thus ensure the quality of nursing for the elderly.