Indigenous Knowledge of Healing among the Tribes of Nilambur Valley: A Study of Crosscultural Landscape across Ethnic Boundaries

Abstract

This thesis focuses on one such non-codified knowledge tradition that is practiced by the tribal community of Nilambur valley, Kerala, India, specifically Cholanaickan (C), Kattunaickan(K), Kattupaniyan/Paniyan(P), and Aranadan (A). These communities are predominantly foraging communities, and their knowledge of health and healing is acutely embedded in their cultural practices, subsistence models, and lifestyle. The study examines various aspects of the STCs’ perception of health and healing practices and how the underlying systemic structure of healing functions and effectively delivers healthcare to its members in the absence of modern medicine. It also delves into the ethno-epistemology of Indigenous Knowledge of healing of Selected Tribal Communities in Nilambur, Kerala (STCs) and provides a theoretical understanding of the Indigenous model of healing.