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WORLD ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNION

CONGRESS 2024​

Paper

Traditional Healing Systems and Ethnomedicine of the Buxa Community in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India

presenters

    Prof Vibha Agnihotri

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    University of Lucknow,India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

    Tushar Srivastava

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Presence:Online

    Dr Indu Kumari

    Nationality: Indian

    Residence: India

    University of Lucknow

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

The Buxa are a primitive tribal group in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, India. They are also spread across the Dehradun, Nainital, and Garhwal districts of Uttarakhand. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that for centuries, traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) has been an integral resource for health in households and communities. One hundred seventy countries have reported the use of traditional medicine. Many developed countries have also begun to recognize and integrate traditional medicine into their healthcare systems. There are considerable economic benefits to developing indigenous medicines and using medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases. Plants have been used in traditional medicine for several thousand years. With the increasing demand for sustainable development, interest in studying medicinal plants and their traditional uses in different parts of the world has grown. Documenting this indigenous knowledge, ethnomedicine, and traditional healers, researchers focus on the importance of the traditional medicinal system of the Buxa community. Traditional healers among the Buxa, known as Siyana or Siana, possess extensive knowledge about ethnomedicine and traditional treatment methods, including chanting and physical activities. Today, as the influence of Western or modern medicine grows, people's beliefs have shifted from traditional healers to modern doctors. However, some poor and rural Buxa still rely on them and use their traditional medicinal systems. In this regard, the present study provides an understanding of the ethnomedical and traditional healers concerning indigenous knowledge and ethnomedicine systems and how they impact society and individuals as a whole.

Keywords:

Siana or Siyana, Ethno- medicine and Buxa community