Limboo Indigenous Knowledge of Traditional Healing: My first visit

I.   Indigenous Knowledge: What does it mean?

Indigenous knowledge (IK) is the knowledge system or technique which has developed or emerged from long-standing traditions and practices of certain indigenous or local communities of particular area or region. It also encompasses the wisdom, knowledge and teachings knowledge of those communities. Unlike ‘modern knowledge’ or ‘scientific knowledge’, indigenous knowledge has no formal institutions to transmit it but is generally transferred as oral wisdom from one generation to the other generation or sometimes it is also documented.

Although there is no common meaning and definition of indigenous knowledge yet there is a general understanding of what indigenous knowledge means. Some scholar define indigenous knowledge as the local knowledge that is unique to a given community or society of particular area or region. While some have defined it as ‘local knowledge’, or ‘folk knowledge’, ‘information base for a society’, ‘traditional wisdom’ and others refer it as ‘traditional ecological knowledge’ when it applies to the physical environment. Warren, (1991), regards indigenous knowledge as the local knowledge- knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. After indigenous knowledge is adapted by society or community, it becomes the unique culture of that particular community. Flavier (1995, p. 479) understands indigenous knowledge as ‘the information base for a society which is dynamic and is continually influenced by internal creativity and experimentation as well as by contact with external system and finally facilitates communication and decision-making’. Indigenous knowledge changes and gets modified from generation to generation through practice and experimentation and sometimes influences the decision making processes. Woyek, R. and Gorjestani, N. (1998, pp. 1-6), define indigenous knowledge as ‘knowledge that is locally situated and related to a more or less set of common values, beliefs, experiences and practices held by a particular tribal group, kinship or indigenous community’. They further refer it as ‘traditional knowledge’, ‘folk knowledge’, ‘ancient wisdom’ or ‘ethno-science’. In the view of Mundy, (1993, pp.1-7), indigenous knowledge is ‘location-specific, value-laden, and closely related to the local culture’. Williams, E., Guenther, J. and Arnott, A. (2011, p. 2), refer indigenous knowledge to the knowledge of innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities around the world. It includes the know-how, skills, innovations, practices and learning that form part of traditional knowledge systems and knowledge that is embodied in the traditional lifestyle of a community or people or is contained in codified knowledge systems passed between generations. Chatterjee (nd.p.1), defines indigenous or traditional knowledge as ‘general characteristics: creation through a long period of time which has been passed down from generation to generation; new knowledge is integrated to the existing, as knowledge is improved; improvement and creation of knowledge is a group effort; and ownership of indigenous knowledge varies between indigenous peoples’. Some scholars consider indigenous knowledge as the knowledge systems embedded  in the cultural traditions of regional, indigenous or local communities with broad area ranging from all types of knowledge about traditional techniques of subsistence like tools and techniques for hunting or agriculture to midwifery, ethno-botany and ecological knowledge, celestial navigation, ethno-astronomy, etc. which are crucial for the subsistence and survival and are generally based on accumulations of empirical observation and interaction with the environment. In many cases, indigenous knowledge has been orally passed down from one generations to another generation in the forms of poem, stories, legends, tales, folklores, rituals, spiritualties, songs, proverbs, phrases, riddles, mythologies and even costumes. Some other regard indigenous knowledge as a cumulative body of knowledge, know-how, practices and representations maintained and developed by peoples with extended histories of interaction with the natural environment. Indigenous knowledge also encompasses language, naming and classification systems etc.

Regardless of different opinion and views expressed by the scholars, indigenous knowledge, is commonly understood and accepted as a knowledge acquired over generations by communities through continuous process of trial and error, experimentation, innovation, practice and interaction with the environment. It covers wide range of knowledge accommodated and owned by the particular community or tribe down the ages in the form of folklores such as mythologies, folk stories, folksongs, folkdances, proverbs, phrases, cultural values, beliefs, rituals, customary laws, local languages, literature and practical knowledge in various fields and activities such as fishing, hunting, farming, painting, carving and in the management of healthcare, horticulture, floriculture, forestry, environment and development of plant species and animal breeds. In simple word, indigenous knowledge is knowledge that is locally situated and related to a more or less set of common values, beliefs, experiences and practices owned by a particular indigenous community, tribe, kinship or society of particular region.

II. The Limboo Indigenous Knowledge of Traditional Healing:

The Limboos, one of the ethnic tribal community who have inhabited Himalayan region especially Sikkim, Eastern part of Nepal and other north-eastern states of India since Archaic Period (c.38,000 to 2,500 B.C), about 25,000 B.C (Subba, 2012, pp. 212-280) have a rich indigenous knowledge on folklores like myths, legends, mythologies, folktales, folksongs, folkdances, proverbs, phrases, riddles, cultural values, beliefs, rituals, customary laws, local languages, literature and practical knowledge in various fields and activities such as fishing, hunting, farming, terracing, painting, carving, medicating and in the management and development of food items (fermented food articles, curry, pickle, beverage etc.) livelihood bio-resources management etc.

The Limboo indigenous knowledge of traditional healing which has emerged over the years and centuries through long and continuous process of trial and error, experimentation, innovation and practices and finally adapted to their local culture and environment is one of the distinct culture transmitted orally from one generation to another generation. It is an ancient and complex holistic healthcare system which is deeply rooted to the socio-cultural life of Limboo tribe since immemorial.

Indigenous knowledge of traditional healing among the Limboos consists of two major elements: physical healing based on herbalism and spiritual healing based on spiritualism or shamanism. In Limboo community, those persons who are believed to have been bestowed with divine knowledge of medication and spiritual power (cosmic energy) of deriving away the bad spirits causing illness and harm to mankind are traditionally  known as ‘lASiDA? kUBE SaMBA and NAMSiDA? kUBe SAMBA'. The two major elements of traditional healing are often used in combination: the application of herbal products by the herbalists and deriving of evils through spiritual forces by the Limboo shamans like Phedangma, Samba and Yeba or Yema. The sickness or diseases are diagnosed either through thorough examination of illness and observation of symptoms or through invocation of deities and uses of spiritual forces. The healer who used spiritual power opts supernatural methods such as reading ‘tumdumseri’ (rice grain), ‘sirpong’ (rosary), rolling ‘wadhibo yamnumadham’ (egg), invoking and offering ‘theesok’ to ‘samudhung yepmadhungma’ and ‘samu sirays’ (pure fermented millet)  or counting ‘cowries’ etc. to predict and identify the sickness of a patient. Sometimes fowls or pigs are used and sacrificed in invoking and diagnosing sickness.

A physical healer considers thorough understanding of history and examination of sickness and observation of symptoms etc. for identifying the sickness or diseases of a sick person. The physical herbalist or healer use herbal products such as leaves, roots, barks, flowers, fruits, oils of various plants and skins, meats, bones, fangs, nails, fats and other parts of animal or insects, reptiles, amphibians etc. for medication. While the spiritual healer uses the spiritual forces through incantations, provocation, invocation of deities, performing of rituals and sacrifices of animals to please the deities and divinities. The healing through the practices of spiritualism is still very common among the tribal Limboos and it is carried out by the Limboo spiritualist or shamans like Phedangma, Samba, Yeba or Yema through cosmic energy. In such kind of spiritual healing perception five entities are considered: Sajum Sohang Yuma (mother goddess), samu siray (master spirit), sammang/manghang (deities) and chyangmang (divinities). It is believed that Sajum Sohang Yuma is the source and ultimate controller of the vital forces, while the samu sirays (master spirits), sammang (deities) and chyangmang (divinities) have access to some of these forces. A person who is bestowed with divine knowledge of medication like physical herbalist and spiritual power of healing like Limboo shaman such as Phedangma, Samba, Yeba or Yema, taps, manipulates and uses the vital forces. It is believed among the Limboo tribe that all the vital life forces have their own personalities and cosmic place. The vital life forces are considered to be benevolent and used in positive ways by the Limboo healers.

The power of healing and medication of the Limboo healers is not determined by the number of medicinal plants he knows but by the ability to apply an understanding of the intricate relationship between the patient and the environment he lives. As such the healers have to have outstanding ability and wisdom regarding both physical and spiritual healing aspects. The Limboo shamans, Phedangma, Samba, Yeba or Yema use the positive spiritual powers. They offer ‘theesok’ perform rituals and sacrifice fowls and animals in order to please the gods, deities and divinities and seek blessing to cure a sick person.

According to Limboo mythology, the power of physical healing possessed by the herbalist and spiritual healing by the Limboo shamans are the gift bestowed from the Tageraningwa Phuma (Almighty God), with their samudhung yepmadhungma (master guru) and samu sirays (master spirits) to be deployed for curing the sickness or diseases of any person. As such, among the Limboo tribe, there are no schools or any other formal educational institutions for training or learning traditional healing practices. The belief system among the Limboo tribe is that the curing or healing power comes from something sacred deep within the healer who has been bestowed with the both divine knowledge of medication and power of spiritualism. This is reason why mundhums of Limboo shamans and the indigenous knowledge of medication practiced by the Limboo herbalists are kept secret.

The Limboo herbalist always chooses proper time and day for the medication of particular disease and collection of medicines. This is because the spirits of the plants and animals can only be found in their bodies at certain moments and time according to Limboo mythology. When those plants, animals, insects, reptiles, amphibians or any other item having medicinal value are collected, the herbalist or healer first decides as which day and time would be suitable or proper. The healer firstly prays or invokes the guardian deities of various medicines ‘lasida kubemangma and namsida kube mangma’ through incantations and offering theesok. Thereafter medication is done by the Limboo traditional healer. After the medication, either through physical or spiritual healing, when the Limboo healers (shamans or herbalist) are offered pajunjullay and theesok as the fee and respect, they invoke and thank their samudhung yepmadhungma (master guru) and samsirays for allowing them to use the medicines for medication and to accept the items offered to them by the member family of a patient appealing to their master guru, samudhung yepmadhungma and master spirits, samu sirays for blessing the victim for earlier recovery and longevity of life.

In many cases, preventive and curative measures are depended upon the combined use of both physical healing (herbalism) and spiritual/shamanic healing (spiritualism) among the Limboo tribe. It is believe that along with the medicinal treatment, a ritual is also needed to recreate adequate spiritual conditions for a healthy life of human being. Therefore, it is very important to understand and appreciate the complexities of Limboo traditional healing from both physical and spiritual aspects. For instances, when a patient suffering from epilepsy is dealt by the Limboo traditional healer, firstly Sajum Sohang Yuma is invoked to seek permission and help and thereafter, master guru and master spirits are called up on to appear on the occasion to strengthen a patient and medication is done. Similarly when a person suffering rabbis due to the bite of mad dog and a person struck by poisonous snake is dealt by the healer, same procedure is followed. So in view of the above examples, it reveals that Limboo traditional healing is the combination of both physicalism and spiritualism. In other word it can be said that Limboo indigenous knowledge of traditional healing practice is the fusion of both herbalism and shamanism or spiritualism.

III. Recommendations:

Although the Limboo indigenous knowledge of traditional healing is an ancient and complex holistic medication and healing system transmitted orally from generation to generation since immemorial yet ironically, it is being challenged by modern bio-medical system. Besides, rapid advancement and growth in science and technology, spread of modern education, establishment of modern hospitals, fast rate vanishing of those species which have great medicinal values and distrust upon the spiritual healers and traditional herbalists have also surpassed and down-sized the Limboo traditional healing in the present days. For earlier salvation, preservation, promotion of wider application and maintenance of traditional knowledge are essential. The Limboo indigenous knowledge of traditional healing is not a panacea for development but it is something, which should be respected, protected and allowed to flourish in the communities. Apart, species having medicinal values should also be preserved and protected. If irreplaceable massive resources are lost, traditional medicines and indigenous knowledge will also get disappeared. As such prompt action is required at every possible level: local initiatives, support from both governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations, universities and scientific research centres. 

References:

Primary Source:

Field survey carried out in the rural villages of Singpheng, Nambu, Lingbit, Sidingbung, Darap, Timlon and Lingchom inhabited by the Limboo tribes in the west district of Sikkim.

Secondary Sources:

Boven, Karin and Morohashi, Jun, (2002), Best Practices using Indigenous Knowledge,

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Olalokun, Wole Michael, (2012), Indigenous Knowledge of Traditional Medical practitioners in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, Indian Journal of Traditional knowledge, Vol. 9 (1), 2010, pp.119-125, Global Research Publishing, Nigeria.

Robbins, Julian A. and Dewar, Jonathan, Dewar, (2011), Traditional Indigenous Approaches to Healing and the modern welfare of Traditional Knowledge, Spirituality and Lands: A critical reflection on practices and policies taken from the Canadian Indigenous Example, The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 2(4). Retrieved from: http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/iipj/vol2/iss4/2.

Subba, J.R., (2012), Yumaism, the Limboo Way of Life: A Philosophical Analysis, Yakthung Mundhum Saplappa, Gangtok, Sikkim, Shivakoti Printing Press, Nevidita Road, Pradhan Nagar, Siliguri.

Taurayi, Bvekerwa Sailos and Renica Kamupira, (2012), Indigenous Knowledge Systems: A Survey of Stakeholders’ Views towards the Combined Use of Traditional and Modern Medicine on Hospitalized Patients (pp. 77-94.), Journal of Innovative Research in Management and Humanities 3(1), April, 2012.  http://www.grpjournal.org/Journal/Category/JOIRMAH.aspx

Vandebroek, Ana, Damme, Patrick Van, Puyvelde, Luc Van, Arrazola, Susana and Kumpe, Novbert De (2004), A Comparison of traditional healers medical plant knowledge in Bolivian Andes and Amazon, Social Science and Medicine, www. Elsevier.com/locate/socscined.

Williams, E., Guenther, J. and Arnott, A. (2011), Traditional healing: a literature review, working paper series 2: Evaluation and policy. No. 2, Covaluator Network, Retrieved March 2011 from http://www.covaluator.net/docs/S2.2_traditional_healing_lit_review.pdf.