Indigenous Health Practices Among The People Of North East India

The Health Is Not Only A State Of Physical And Mental Well Being, But Also In True Sense It Involves The Socio-Cultural And Environmental Factors. The Complete Health Either Of A Person, Or Of A Group Is A Product Of The Interplay Between These Components. The Book, Infact, Propels Out These Views After Having In Depth Observation On The Tribals Of Northeast India, A Complex Of Seven States. It Comprises Seven Chapters Depicting Particularly Health Care Systems Of Rabha, Karbi, Khasi & Jayantia Tribals Inhabiting Northeast India. It Also Reveals The General Trends Of The Tribal Health Scenario. In All, Like A Newer Intake In Fields Of Tribal India, It Carves Out The Matrix Of Nature And Culture, Which Influences The Domain Of Their Health Care. It S Discussion And Narratives On The System Might Be Useful To The Students, Researchers And Academicians, In The Areas Of Anthropology, Sociology And Health As Well As Other Disciplines Of Social Sciences. The Book May Also Be Helpful To The Social Activities, Health Workers And Central/State Govt. Planners.

This Book Is Collection Of 25 Research Papers/ Articles Focused On Different Aspect Indigenous Health Care Practices Among Different Population Group Of Different Part Of India, Romania And Pacific Regions Like Australia, Polynesia And Melanesia. The Ethno-Medicine Used Among Various Populations For Cure Of Different Ailments Are Recorded And Documented In Many Of The Papers/Articles Included In The Book. Beside That Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Related To Different Kind Of Health Care Is Also Highlighted. In Various Primitive Groups The Supernatural Causes And Practices Are The Part Of Health Care. The Impact Of Modernization, Industrialization And Globalization Has Both Positive And Negative Impact On Indigenous Knowledge And Many Such Practices Are Going To Be Extinct.The Book Is A Humble Attempt In The Direction Of Preservation Or Conservation Of Indigenous Knowledge And Practices. The Book Is Multidisciplinary In Nature; It Would Be Supportive For Researchers Working In The Same Direction. Simultaneously, It Would Be Helpful For Academicians, Policy Planners, Health Administrators And Pharmaceutical Researches, Medical Practiceners, Students Of Medicine, Pharmacy, Anthropology & Sociology.

While indigenous peoples make up around 370 million of the world’s population – some 5 per cent – they constitute around one-third of the world’s 900 million extremely poor rural people. Every day, indigenous communities all over the world face issues of violence and brutality. Indigenous peoples are stewards of some of the most biologically diverse areas of the globe, and their biological and cultural wealth has allowed indigenous peoples to gather a wealth of traditional knowledge which is of immense value to all humankind. The publication discusses many of the issues addressed by the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and is a cooperative effort of independent experts working with the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It covers poverty and well-being, culture, environment, contemporary education, health, human rights, and includes a chapter on emerging issues.

In a country as diverse as South Africa, sickness and health often mean different things to different people – so much so that the different health definitions and health belief models in the country seem to have a profound influence on the health-seeking behaviour of the people who are part of our vibrant, multicultural society. This book is concerned with the integration of indigenous health knowledge (IHK) into the current Western--orientated Primary Health Care (PHC) model. The first section of the book highlights the challenges facing the training of health professionals using a curriculum that is not drawing its knowledge base from the indigenous context and the people of that context. Such professionals will later recognise that they are walking without limbs in matters pertaining to health. The area that was chosen for conducting the research was KwaBomvana in Xhora (Elliotdale), Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The people who reside there are called AmaBomvana. The area where the Bomvana peoples reside is served by Madwaleni Hospital and eight surrounding clinics. Qualitative ethnographic, feminist methods of data collection supported the research done for Section 1 of the book. Section 2 comprises the translation and implementation of PhD study outcomes and had contributions from various researchers. In the critical research findings of the PhD study, older Xhosa women identify the inclusion of social determinants of health as vital to the health problems they managed within their homes. For them, each disease is linked to a social determinant of health, and the management of health problems includes the management of social determinants of health. For them, it is about the health of the home and not just about the management of disease. They believe that healthy homes make healthy villages, and that the prevention of the development of disease is related to the strengthening of the home. Health and illness should be seen within both physical and spiritual contexts; without health, there can be no progress in the home. When defining health, the older Xhosa women add three critical components to the WHO health definition, namely, food security, healthy children and families, and peace and security in their villages. Prof. Mji further proposes that these three elements should be included in the next revision of the WHO health definition because they are not only important for the Bomvana people where the research was conducted, but also for the rest of humanity. In light of the promise of National Health Insurance and the revitalisation of PHC, this book proposes that these two major national health policies should take cognisance of the IHK utilised by the older Xhosa women. In addtion to what this research implies, these policies should also take note of all IHK from the indigenous peoples of South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world, and that there should be a clear plan as to how the knowledge can be supported within a health care systems approach.

This contributed volume provides a comprehensive, in-depth and subject-based reviews on the current status of active ingredients, sustainable use, biodiversity and conservation of certain endangered medicinal plants. The book also explores conventional and non-conventional biotechnological interventions for their biodiversity conservation. Medicinal plants have been used in worldwide as a major source of raw material for the traditional herbal healthcare practices as well as for drug discovery and development in pharmaceutical industry. The cumulative consequences of various human activities and environmental factors cause decline in the biodiversity of medicinal plants at an unprecedented rate worldwide. Thus, the overall understanding of ecology, species and genetic diversity along with assessment of the status of different threats and their impact on medicinal plants is crucial to sustain existing biodiversity, its utilization and conservation. All the latest advancements in the biotechnological approaches for the conservation research of endangered medicinal plants and the future perspectives have been described. This book provides comprehensive reviews spreading over about 25 chapters divided in three sections. The chapters of this book are written by recognized scientists in their respective fields which are useful to students, academicians, researchers, botanists, biotechnologists, policy makers, conservationists and industries interested in biodiversity conservation and medicinal plant research for the production of secondary metabolites.

This contributed volume provides an in-depth understanding of contemporary debates, discussions and insights on Indigenous social work theory, education and practice across the globe. Based on theoretical and empirical perspectives, authors collectively contribute to a comprehensive, critical and up-to-date discussion about Indigenous social work theories, decolonization of social work education, Indigenous social work curriculum, Indigenous social work practice, and cultural perspectives towards enhancing Indigenous social work education and practice. The key features of this book are: Critical insights into the historical evolution of Indigenous social work; Global debates on the westernization and indigenization of social work education; An overview of Indigenous social work and its practice in diverse cultural contexts; Critical perspective of Indigenous social work education; and Coverage of a diverse range of geographical areas. Indigenization Discourse in Social Work: International Perspectives is an indispensable resource for students, scholars, independent researchers, academicians, policymakers and practitioners who are working in the field of social work, especially those who are interested in Indigenous social work issues. Moreover, it is an invaluable text for students, scholars and academicians who are interested in international social work with a special focus on Indigenous social work. In addition, students and scholars in sociology, development studies, public policy and economics working with Indigenous people and who are interested in Indigenous studies will find this book useful as an interdisciplinary reference.