Adivasi - v60_No.1

Abstract

Odisha has encountered a variety of epidemics and pandemics such as cholera, influenza, smallpox, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, etc in the past. An epidemic or pandemic is an unusual occurrence that triggers adaptive health behaviour, prevention and treatment methods. Leaving aside many epidemics, Odisha has faced two significant pandemics such as Cholera in the 19th century and Influenza in the 20th century before the Covid 19 was reported in the current century. There is inadequate comprehensive literature to understand the way administration and common people dealt with epidemics and pandemics in history, leave apart studies on impacts created by the disease cycle, virulence, death toll in tribal and remote areas. In tribal and folk culture, diseases and epidemics are often attributed to the wrath and anger of malevolent spirits. Towards getting relief, prevent and eradicate the horrible experiences of epidemics and pandemics, rituals and magico-religious performances are conducted. This article has attempted to capture the management of the epidemic in tribal Odisha from a historical perspective and relate it to the management of Covid 19. The article provides insights on culturally tuned responsive coping mechanisms to prevent the spread of Covid 19 along with relative obedience to government guidelines. Significant in their coping mechanisms are cultural restraints governing social behaviour; adopting both parochial and universal norms for prevention and control; preventive and therapeutic use of time-tested ethnomedicine; maintaining isolation from mainstream and depending on natural resources in their habitat for consumption needs. Above all, to confront the crisis the tribal societies have been well up to dwell on group solidarity, cooperative social institutions, developing new norms and rules for effective socio-political control and governance mechanisms. The article provides many contextual instances for interesting reading in relation to the impact of Covid 19 on tribal culture in Odisha.