Final answer:
The nurse is likely interpreting the natives' ritualistic behavior as an indication that they believe illness is caused by evil spirits. Such practices are part of traditional healing methods in many indigenous cultures, where illness is often viewed from a spiritual perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse is interpreting the natives’ actions of lighting ritual fires and pounding on drums as a belief that illness results from the influence of evil spirits. This behavior reflects a spiritual or mystical view of illness, common in various indigenous cultures, where sickness is often understood as caused by supernatural forces rather than by physical or medical factors like pathogens and genetics. The approach to healing in such cultures involves rituals aimed at warding off these spirits or appeasing them to promote recovery of the sick.
In many traditional societies, including the African and Native American communities, illness is not merely a physical ailment but also a spiritual or communal disruption. Healing practices, such as the use of medicinal plants, dances, or shamanistic rituals, are deeply rooted in the cultural understanding of health and the relationship with the spiritual world. These rituals, like the ones observed by the nurse, are part of a complex system of beliefs about health and sickness that interweave the physical and the spiritual realms.