Abstract

TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND METHODS OF HEALTH CARE IN MANIPUR

Dr. S. Shyamkiran Singh*

Abstract

Traditional Manipuri Cultures addresses forces in both the natural and the spiritual world to maintain the health and vitality of human beings. This paper uses a combination of primary and secondary data sources to identify the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats of the traditional wisdom in Manipur. It presents some concepts and practices, some characteristics of indigenous knowledge transfer system and some aspects of their link with the modern health care systems. The paper concludes that the traditional wisdom in health system is very complex. To understand and documentation of these complexities has led to a great task with the cooperation between traditional medicine and the modern health care systems. It, therefore, identifies the scope to build up the strengths and challenges the weakness of the traditional wisdoms. It recommends that there is a need to research for methods of testing, refining and validating indigenous wisdoms in traditional health care systems in order to support the process of integration with the modern health care systems and proper documentation.

Keywords: Traditional Wisdom, Indigenous Knowledge, Medicinal Plants.