Folk Medicine of the Karbis of Assam A Study with Particular Reference to Disease and Treatment of Women

Abstract

Geographical environment plays a vital role in shaping and conditioning the culture of an area along with the customs, behavior, thoughts of the people inhabiting the area. The fact that every culture has a distinct way of perceiving the nature as well as the environment is reflected through the beliefs and customs of its people. For instance, the forest environment plays an important role in the health and nutritional practices of the rural people, including the tribal communities. The present book therefore attempts to sneak into the health and illness, traditional health practices of the Karbi tribe both hills and plains. The book covers various aspects of traditional beliefs and practices concerning the medical system, degree of acceptability of modern medicine by the Karbis with special focus on women and their health care. The primary objective is to understand the indigenous concepts of health and illness as conditioned by social, psychological and environmental situation among the Karbis in general, and Karbi women in particular. It attempts to collect the curative measures adopted by the Karbis with reference to different causes of diseases while also documenting herbal medicines and domestic cures or remedies used by the Karbis for treatment. This comparative study on both the hills and plains Karbis also endeavors to examine access to and utilization of modern health care facilities with special focus on perceptions to reproductive health, female illness, and gynecological problems among Karbi women. As understanding of various traditional religious practices is necessary because of the intricate connection or association between supernatural power and diseases, as believed by the people of the community, therefore the study also investigates into the role and position of ethno medical specialists like folk medicine men, diviners and folk medicine specialists etc.