Dr Gabriel Gyang Darong is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa. His primary area of research and teaching is medical anthropology, where he has conducted research on HIV education and management, ethnomedicine, and the practice of medical pluralism in South Africa. He has also been involved in research projects that look at the practice of voluntary medical male circumcision and maternal and child health interventions.

Dr Darong currently runs a National Research Foundation (NRF) funded project, Medical Pluralism in Makhanda, and beyond which seeks to find ways of promoting collaboration among the health practitioners of the diverse health systems in the community. Using a service-learning approach, he connects students to HIV community health workers, the careers of children living with disabilities, indigenous healers, dental care, mental health, and maternal health practitioners. He is an Organising Committee member of the World Council of Anthropological Associations and a Steering Committee member of the World Anthropological Union.

Dr Darong has a PhD, a Master’s (Summa Cum Laude), and a Bachelor of Social Science Honours (Cum Laude) in Anthropology. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (Cum Laude) and has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (Distinction)