Documentation of Indigenous Medicinal Knowledge of Select Tribal Communities of West Bengal

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge is a collection of observations, practices, beliefs and written and oral knowledge along with annotations that is developed by indigenous peoples and tribes through their interactions with the environment. The “Indigenous Knowledge” is also known as “Traditional Knowledge” or “Traditional Ecological Knowledge”. Indigenous knowledge can be applied to many areas, including biological, physical, social, cultural, economic and spiritual systems. It is based on evidence gained through long-term experiences, direct contact with the environment, extensive observations, lessons and skills. It is a notable point that as indigenous knowledge is tacit and mostly not documented, it is a challenge for the library and information professionals to provide appropriate documentation and preservation of that knowledge. The documentation of tacit knowledge needs special skill and competency. Several initiatives and approaches of libraries and Institutions for the inclusion, documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge express its value for humankind. This paper presents the documentation of indigenous medicines, medicinal plants and some traditional healing practices prevailing among the Bedia, Koda and Lodha tribes residing in the districts of Bankura and Jhargram of West Bengal. In all, 50 tribal people were surveyed, of which 9, 20 and 21 persons belong to Bedia, Koda or Kora and Lodha communities respectively living in nine villages of Bankura and Jhargram districts.