WAU Congress Agenda is now available.

WORLD ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNION

CONGRESS 2024​

SELECTED PANEL

( pn27 )

Anthropology of Indigenous Knowledge System and Ethno-Medicinal Practices in India

organizers

    Debashis Debnath

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

    Dr. Sushil Upadhyay

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    RCFC-SFRI, NMPB, New Delhi, India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

    Dr. Darpan Gangil

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Radharaman Ayurved Medical College Research Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

    Dr. R.K. Prajapati

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

chairs

    IUAES Affiliation: Anthropology and the Environment

    IUAES Affiliation: Anthropology of Food and Nutrition

    IUAES Affiliation: Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Development

    IUAES Affiliation: Medical Anthropology and Epidemiology

    Keywords:

    Indigenous, Knowledge, Ethno-pharmacology, Conservation, Livelihood

    Abstract:

    Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) are the complex arrays of knowledge, know-how, practices and representations that guide human societies in their innumerable interactions with the natural milieu. IKS is inextricably mixed up with this participatory process of agro-economic system under the decentralized governance and institutional mechanism for sustainable use and conservation of the bio-resources. The study of indigenous knowledge systems as part of common property resources and their interactions with the surrounding ecology falls within the purview of Anthropology, particularly within the realms of cultural ecology or environmental anthropology. The Anthropologists understand indigenous knowledge as participants’ knowledge of their temporal and social space. In this context, the Anthropological method of holism is a particular kind of epistemology. The term Indigenous knowledge system delineates a cognitive structure in which theories and perceptions of Nature and culture are conceptualized. The Indian Systems of Medicine, largely use plant base. Ancient texts had documented medicinal uses of large number of plants. These plants are being used for preparation of medicines for centuries. India has century´s old heritage of medicinal plants and herbal medicines for curing human illness and promotion of health in tribal and rural areas. Indigenous people have shown evidences of historical continuity of resource use and possess a broad base knowledge of the complex ecological system existing in the vicinity of their habitat Thus there exists an intensive relationship between the two entities i.e. forest and tribals. The use of medicinal herbs is still a tradition continued by tribal communities who are living in undulating foot hills or in the vicinity and inside of dense forests. The ethno-medicinal knowledge of them is very strong. They have been utilizing different medicinal species available in the surrounding areas to cure the diseases or meet up the health needs of the villagers for hundreds of years. This traditional health care system is transferred from one generation to other within family of the vaidhya (medicine-man) and in this way vaidhya system survives. Various chronic diseases have been identified as well as the common ailments This panel aims to focus on the conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants in the Traditional medical system and the extension of utility of herbal medicines to generate livelihoods among the tribal youths in attempting the sustainable livelihood in achieving sustainable development.