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Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education | ISSN: 2161-0711 | Volume 8

Medical Sociology & Public Health

World Congress on

Public health and Epidemic diseases

International Conference on

September 21-22, 2018 | Dallas, USA

Understanding the use and scope of Lepcha Ethnomedicine- Sikkim and Kalimpong, India

Melissa Zermit Namchu

National University of Singapore, Singapore

ndigenous societies are viewed as a homogenous entity but the case of the Lepchas has been very different as historical factors have

divided the community along territorial and religious lines. This division in the community has led to complexity in health-seeking

behavior which provides me with a platform to understand how the model of dominative medical system functions in a Lepcha

society. Hence, the study will be seen against a background of medical pluralism and a time when the Lepchas are dealing with

political mayhems which are steered by the demand for an ethnic homeland by the immigrant Nepalis, that they are super-imposing

on the Lepcha land and has today, left the Lepchas to an insignificant minority. My aim is not to undertake a polarised study- whether

a traditional medicine works or not, but to understand the empirical reality of the complex health-seeking behavior. To comprehend

how traditional medicine survives and how the title of the ‘great-ethnobotanical practitioners’ is upheld by the community. One of

the key aims of this study is to understand the role and knowledge of medicine men and how they position themselves in a medically

pluralistic society. Known to possess rich ethnobotanical knowledge of the flora and fauna found in the eastern Himalayan belt, the

Lepchas have in the recent years been termed as a 'Vanishing tribe'. Now reduced to the status of a minority in terms of population,

the number of local medicine men to have been steadily declining. However, the 'Vanishing' status has alarmed many leaders- political

as well as social elites, who today are taking steps to promote and revive the age-old practice. Steps are also being taken to bridge the

differences that are existent within the community spread over two different states of West Bengal and Sikkim in North East India- to

establish a pan Lepcha identity. Nevertheless, the penetration of developmental activities in towns and villages have posted many new

challenges in keeping up with traditional practices- especially in the health sector. I have approached this study from the perspective

of medical anthropology- a subfield of anthropology- by using anthropological theories and methods to questions about health,

illness and healing. Ethnomedicine- the study of traditional practices- that uses ethnography of health and healing behavior in the

Lepcha society forms a major component of this study.

J Community Med Health Educ 2018, Volume 8

DOI: 10.4172/2161-0711-C4-042