Negotiating Illness and Care: An Ethnographic Study of Morbidity and Healing Practices among the Mankirdia Tribes of Odisha

Abstract

Indigenous people constitute 370 million individuals across the globe inhabiting every region of the world (Sarivaara et.al, 2013). They represent diverse communities and their distinct socio-cultural and economic structures, maintained through customary laws and traditional institutions have set them apart from the mainstream population (Cobo, 1986). The Working Group on Indigenous Populations (2006) conceptualizes indigenous people as groups who due to the processes of colonization and the modern state formation have become differentiated from the dominant sections of population. These communities reproduce their autonomous social, economic and cultural institutions despite varied legal positions. India for an instance, harbouring over 104 million tribal population exhibits a rich tapestry of distinct health beliefs and practices (Sahu et al.,2024). Despite forming such a significant chunk of India’s population, the indigenous communities continue facing disparities in accessibility to healthcare systems with higher Under-5 mortality (57.2), malaria related deaths, underweight, pulmonary tuberculosis (703/100,000) and prevalence of anemic women (65% in 15-49 age group) (Bang, 2018). It is therefore imperative to enquire into the workings of healthcare systems in the tribal communities.

 The cultural frameworks of indigenous people have profoundly influenced their approaches to health and well-being (Rowkith & Bhagwan, 2020). These communities integrate traditional healing practices with their religious and spiritual beliefs and socio-economic realities (Kumar & Jain, 2023). The intricate dynamics between health seeking behaviors and belief systems necessitate a nuanced understanding of the workings of healing practices among indigenous communities, which denote a stark departure from conventional biomedical notions of medicine (Sahoo & Pradhan, 2021).