Abstract
Abstract
Public health has been a major concern in the recent domain of Medical Anthropology. The present study aims to analyze the sociocultural beliefs associated with epilepsy and tries to understand the traditional healing systems and put some light on the existing conflicts with Western biomedical system among the Sherdukpens of West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. It also addresses the growing hiatus between the modern biomedical system and the traditional way of healing. A functionalistic approach has been used and associated with L. P. Vidyarthi’s concept of “Nature–Man–Spirit complex.” It is a qualitative study mostly based on narratives. People with epilepsy (PWE), their family members, the general population, shamans, lamas (monks), hospitals, and local health-care personnel were interviewed about the meanings and beliefs, practices, and feelings vis-à-vis epilepsy. Epilepsy is locally termed as zo-nyoba among the Sherdukpens, and they have developed their own etiology behind its occurrence. The Sherdukpens attribute epilepsy with several superstitious beliefs, myths, and mythologies, Shaman or Zizi plays a vital role in the healing process, and they have the indigenous knowledge of ethno-medicine with which epilepsy is treated. The Sherdukpens’ conversion to Buddhism allows the monks to play a very significant role in the healing rituals. The study shows that even with the advent of modern anti-epileptic drugs, PWE are taken more than often to the shamans/monks than to the hospital. All these cultural reasons cause a hindrance in the treatment procedure. This local perception and misunderstanding of epilepsy often cause challenges worse than the seizures due to epilepsy.
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