HEALTH STATUS AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BASED TREATMENT SYSTEM OF MIGRANT ORAONS: A STUDY FROM DOOARS, WEST BENGAL

Abstract

West Bengal is one of the Indian states with the highest tribal density. Among these tribal groups, the Oraons are one of the most migratory tribal groups in northern West Bengal. In Dooars, they mainly live in the forests or near forests. Therefore, it is common for them to collect various materials from the jungle areas to make their daily life comfortable. In this way, they rely much more on the plants and herbs of the jungle to treat their various diseases, ill-health conditions and other abnormalities. They have their traditional healers who treat them first-hand. They (the healers) prescribe them various medicines made from different plants and herbs. Traditional medicine men or folk doctors treat patients who are considered experts in medicinal plants and folk medicine. In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the indigenous knowledge-based practises and treatment systems of the migrant Oraons in the Dooars region.

Study area and methodology: The health status of the Oraons of Sursuti Banobasti village in the Lataguri areas of Dooars was studied to understand the community perspective and to record the different types of diseases observed among the Oraons during fieldwork using different traditional field methods.

Results and discussions: The villagers suffer from both communicable and non-communicable diseases. They consume traditional foods, including handia (a traditionally prepared rice beer). Both couples are accustomed to these drinking habits. The sanitation facilities are of very poor quality, leading to some widespread diseases in the area. The villagers suffer from various seasonal health problems. Various communicable diseases are prevalent throughout the year. They still rely on herbal medicine and the magico-religious methods of their traditional systems. The health facilities in the region are rudimentary.

There is a close connection between health and illness and their traditional culture. The climatic conditions in the forests also have a great influence on health and illness. Preventive and curative measures are the main concern in the treatment of health and disease, mostly based on their traditional socio-cultural and indigenous knowledge system.

Summary and conclusion: The traditional medicine of this forest-dependent tribal community in the Dooars areas is a complex system. It is closely linked to the various prevalent cultural traits and beliefs of the Oraons. Knowledge of the neighbouring forest areas and the local flora and fauna is extremely helpful. Their survival is explained by their integration into the social fabric of the tribal culture.

The indigenous treatment systems of the Oraon tribal community deal with various forms of therapy, especially ethnomedicine, which includes magico-religious, mechanical and various biochemical procedures. This study addresses the popularity of ethnomedicine as traditionally used by the migrant Oraons and in particular the need to utilise ethnomedicine as an alternative treatment method alongside modern medicine in these areas