Situation Analysis and Documentation of Traditional Healing Practices and Resources in Chitawan District

Abstract

Background: Indigenous knowledge and natural resources are still under the threats of both unethical uses by outsiders as well as bio-piracy. Various misconceptions and false labeling against the practitioners and practices are still major threats and humiliating to the integrity of community people and their century old culture. In such situation if the state did not take serious initiation to recognize and record healer, healing practices and other related resources, it leads to extinction of such cultural wealth of the country. This project thus aimed to explore the present situation of practices of indigenous knowledge and documentation of indigenous knowledge, knowledge holders and knowledge practitioners as well as associated bio resources. Methods: Data were gathered by structured interview and observation. Traditional healers were selected on the basis of 'recognized, respected and active in practice' without gender, caste, age and ethnicity bias as informed by the key informants. Municipality and village development committee were selected by random sampling methods. Eight VDCs and 1 municipality were visited for data collection. Data were gathered during July 5-15, 2012 and Dec-16, 2012 to Jan 29, 2013. Local people especially female community health volunteer and VDC or ward secretary were considered key informants. Results: One hundred and nine plants were recorded which have been used by the traditional healers. Among them 97 were identified by their scientific names and 68 are enlisted as medicinal plants of Nepal. Likewise, 12 types of minerals and other common things and 8 types of animals or animal parts used for preparing medicine were recorded. Similarly about 45 types of common ailments were reported in the words of healers for which people visit them and they provide treatment. Among them, most common were gastritis, joint pain, diarrhoea, lower abdominal pain, cut injury, cough and cold and so on. In case of drugs, in general, pate, powder, juice and decoction are common form of herbal drugs that traditional healers prepare. Almost all traditional healers believed that their century old traditional healing practices are in verge of extinction. Conclusions: The country should initiate necessary legal and policy steps to assure the rights over the knowledge and practices of traditional healers. Keywords: documentation; healing practices; knowledge; medicinal plants; practices; traditional healers.