Five Tribes in Kerala Who Posses Rare Medicinal Mix To Cure Many Deadly Disease
- 12 Apr 2016
- Neethu
- Features
Can you believe these simple folks are a treasure of secretive and time-tested knowledge in healing diverse disorders with simple herbals?
Far away from the world of sophistication and luxury, there are spaces where life and nature don’t possess a border, where living carries a meaning strange to us, a promise to live in harmony with nature.
Tribal settlements are often ignored from the mainstream population, but somehow the very fact is a reason on why they remain virtue of many goodness, especially in health and living. They are believed to possess medicinal solutions for many grave and deadly diseases like cancer, cardiac problems, infertility etc. However, the divine blend of these therapeutic plants remains as a tribe secret, which is hardly unveiled.
Can you believe these simple folks are a treasure of secretive and time-tested knowledge in healing diverse disorders with simple herbals? Their method doesn't involve any toxic chemicals or harmful technologies, instead they depend on the innumerous herbs, plants and trees growing in the jungles for their medicines. Let’s meet these unsung heroes who have that key to many cures many of us are oblivious about.
- Urali Kurumar
Uralikurumars are found in southern Wayanad and Vythiri taluk. They are the healers of Asthma, respiratory trouble skin problems, diabetes, eye, ear, nose problems etc They have extraordinary skills to make items from bamboo and cane. Uralikurumars also make items of iron, like sword, knife, arrow guns, etc. They speak a mixture of Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Tulu. This tribal group does not have a script.
2. Paniyas
They outnumber the other tribals found in Wayanad. They have some similarity to the Negroid race. This section of people are seen in Nilgiris, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kudagu areas. They have remedies for diseases like Asthma, respiratory trouble skin problems, diabetes, eye, ear, nose problems, piles, snake bites, tonsillitis, epilepsy etc. Paniyas speak primitive Malayalam without any script. Most of them were slaves of the non-tribal landlords in the early periods. Majority of them do not have education and land. At present majority of Paniyas are causal agricultural laborers. A study on medicinal plants used by Paniya tribes shows that 33 medicinal plant species, belonging to 31 genera and 26 families of angiosperms were found to be useful to cure various diseases (Raji and Raveendran 2011).
3. Kanikkar
They dwell in forests or near to forests inTrivandrum and Kollam in Kerala, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. The Kanikkar use a wide variety of therapeutic recipes for almost all the common ailments including elephantiasis, diabetes, tuberculosis etc. Though they cultivate everything and make agriculture the main profession, they have a special liking for medicinal planting and hunting. Kanikkars are interested in music. They have many melodious songs composed. Even though it is said their language is a mixture of Tamil and Malayalam dialects, they have their own mother tongue, which is centuries old.
4. Kadar
Kadar is a small tribe of southern India residing along the hilly border between Cochin in the state of Kerala and Coimbatore in the state of TamilNÄdu. They have developed their own traditional systems of medicines. Along with it they also follow special diets to cure diseases. In most cases, the tribes will not disclose their secret medicines. They prefer to eat rice obtained in trade or as wages rather than to subsist on food of their own gathering. They have long served as specialized collectors of honey, wax, sago, cardamom, ginger, and umbrella sticks for trade with merchants from the plains. Many Kadar men work as labourers.
5. Irula
The Irulas live in two south Indian states. In Tamil Nadu they live in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode districts. In Kerala they live in the Attapady and Walayar regions.
So next time when an ailment brings you down, before barging to take expensive treatments, give traditional medicines a thought. Though it might feel mind boggling to track the tribals down, there are many organisations that will do it for you and once you are there, be prepared for a different kind of curing.
Words: Neethu Parvathy S.
Photos: Various Sources
