Traditonal Health Care Practices Among Kondh and Bhuyan Tribes of Odisha

Introduction: Traditional knowledge which includes both oral and written. It refers to the knowledge, innovation and practices of local communities or ethnic group around the world. It is the component of knowledge system which refers the old age tradition and practices and inherited from generation to generation through folk tales, rituals etc. Traditional knowledge is the knowledge which is unique to a given culture and society. This knowledge is important part of lives of poor. This present study attempts to find out attitudes of people towards modern medicine facilities available in the village. Objective is to explore the traditional knowledge system of health care practices in two primitive tribes.

Methods:-two primitive tribes of Odisha have been considered for their traditional health care practices. It’s a comparative study of health care practices among Kondh of Budrikia village of Kandhmal district and Bhuyan of Talpadar village of Keonjhar district. Total sample 50 0f two villages including traditional health practitioners (THP) and old age persons. Door to door survey, Interview and focus group discussion (FGD) conducted during this field work for empirical data collection.

Result: This paper represents that indigenous or tribal people of Odisha in present day sustaining their practices regarding health care; modernity can never change their practices and ruined their identity. Not only they use plants and leaves even also use animal to cure any ailment and diseases. 36 plant species including flora and fruits has been used for medicinal purposes.

Discussion: In present scenario the traditional value, faith and indigenous knowledge of health care system of present society are facing challenges due to migration of youths to cities and there urban migrants tend to undermine their own culture belief and knowledge based on traditional health care system. If this traditional knowledge won’t be documented, in future this knowledge will be diminished by the influence of modernity. 

Key words: - traditional knowledge, indigenous knowledge.