Historical Study of the Traditional Healthcare System of Paite in Northeast India

ABSTRACT : Paite, a transborder tribe of the Indo-Myanmar, had developed their own traditional health care system as the saying goes, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ in accordance with their social, economic and religious life. It was considered effective as there were no other source to counter. They had encountered several illnesses and thus different sacrifices or rituals to cure it was performed by the priest called siampu. Cholera, tuberculosis, malaria was some of the major illnesses they had encountered for ages. They followed certain protocols to safe themselves from diseases and defaulters were severely punished. Sacrifices was the only health seeking behaviour. They also gave much importance to child care. Herbal substances were mostly used for treating those diseases. With the advent of Christianity and modern science there was a dramatic change in health seeking behaviour and also the traditional health care system itself. The article aims to study the nature of sickness conceived by the people and development of health care system traditionally. It also aims to exercise the impact of religion upon the health life of the community. It argued that if proper investigation and further studies of the tribal health care is taken seriouslythen it could be of great help to the local people in health and economic aspects. 

 

Paite are a hilly tribe, inhabiting the southern part of Manipur and the northeastern part of Mizoram in India. Their main occupation was agriculture and it was dependant on monsoon. The terrain where they cultivate their jhums is not very fertile thus the practise of slash and burn agricultural system became a tradition. They were quite ignorant of hygiene in their lifestyle, they followed open defecation in the village and their traditional stilt house was design to host domestic animals under the floor. They consumed water from natural spring and many villages depends on rivers and brooks. The menfolk were hunters and raiders thus they were inevitable to venture into deep unknown forest. They belief in animism, the world was inhabited by benevolent and malevolent spirits. There were several illnesses which they deal with throughout their history. The socio-economic life of the people makes them vulnerable from diseases. According to its necessity in due course of time, Paite had developed their own health care system. When they get sick, they believed that they were bitten or possess by the dawi (evil spirits). So, they used to perform animal sacrifices or other rituals to appease those spirits. Tribal community in India has a very old and culturally very rich ethno-medicine knowledge. So, it can harness growth in development of indigenous or herbal medicine. Gradually the scientist as well as the government of India have a keen interest to study ethno-medicine and the culture of tribal community. North eastern region being a hotspot of bio-diversity is promising in development of medicine science. Developing of ethno-medicine knowledge will boost the growth and prosperity of the region as well as the country.

 

This paper aims to explore the various traditions relating to traditional healthcare system of the Paite. It seeks to have an understanding about the medicinal knowledge when the modern science is inaccessible. It further tries find out that if the traditional healthcare system is still applicable in present day and strive to contribute various suggestions and to promote the indigenous medical science. The proposed study is based on descriptive research design. The relevant data has been examined on the basis of information gathered through secondary sources. The data has been collected from various sources like books, thesis, journals, prominent authors etc. and mainly confined with secondary sources for analysing. Research on traditional healthcare system among the Paite tribe of north east India is quite low compare with other subjects. Nemthianngai Guite (2011), the study in the field of ethno-medicine and healthcare among the Paite tribe of Manipur presenting the outline of development and history of ethnomedicine with its impact upon the health of the people thereby making the same applicable for economic sustainability. Paite in Mizoram (2011), describes that the earlier generation men lived longer than the present generation. Though there are more death and infant mortality in the past due to absence of modern science. Those who overcome the fragile stage are healthier and live longer under the traditional way of life. T. Vungkhothang (1980), in his Pupa Tuanglam is a local publication in Paite language, has mentioned the rituals and sacrifices performed for different illnesses. Traditionally all sickness were believed to be the works of evil spirits and to appease them offering was done in their dwelling places. Sing Khaw Khai (1981), had studied different kinds of illnesses prevailing in the society. There are major and minor illnesses having its own symptoms and accordingly different rituals. Most of the researchers have lightly studied this subject and written only a few pages, it is difficult to find a single chapter reviewing the Paite traditional health care system. This article is an attempt to dedicate to the fullest on the subject. It covers the pre-colonial period only when the access of modern medicine was unknown.

 

According to the serious of the illness, traditionally it was divided as Natpi (Major illnesses) and Natte (Minor illnesses). The common diseases which they had fought with their traditional health care are major illnesses, minor illnesses and mental illnesses. Different types of sickness were treated looking the condition of the patients, feeling the pulse and finding the evil spirit who has bitten the patient/s and accordingly the rituals and sacrifices were performed.

 

Tuihi: This is cholera, it was one of the worst major illness known to them. The sicks have diarrhoea and said they defecates their life span slowly. This was very dangerous and contagious. It can spread easily so these evil spirits were most feared by them. This sickness had caused a lot of death in olden times, when such thing happens, they say it is pul meaning a plague.

 

Khosikpi: Those who got this illness, they feel severe cold and shiver but was not considered very deadly like cholera. Some patients can get hair loss and be bed ridden throughout the year. Some do not get recovery and continues to have fever and when the fever is gone the patient could pass away. Sometimes, the spirit get to the head or brain and the patient could get mad and dead. This is called malaria in modern science. Other major sickness is Phungzawl(epilepsy), Gampi (typhoid), Miteng (jaundice) etc.

 

Gilna: Stomach-ache was a common sickness. It was believed to be bitten by evil spirits called kau. There are people called sianglo or unclean, who have two spirits in their body. The evil spirit is called kau. When the body have jealousy or envy, the spirit can go out and attack or bite the other person intentionally or unintentionally. 

 

Other minor sickness is Lunaa (headache), Hitang (cold), Thaguina (spasm problems) etc.

 

Dawi mat: Mental illness or lunatic was more common in women than in men. It must be due to their unhygienic lifestyle during their menstruation, malnutrition or mishandled by their inebriate husbands etc. It was considered as possession by evil spirits.

 

1. Lamkhak (road blockade): This was the first and most crucial preventive measure taken up wherever they are aware of the outbreak of major diseases or sickness. They used to block every path to their village, a customary lockdown to curb the spread of infections. Road blockade was done to prevent Natpi or major illnesses. They maintained isolation from aliens. They believed that during the outbreak of diseases, if they have social gatherings then the spirits can follow them and infects everyone. To prevent themselves they blocked their paths all around the village and at junction and does not allowed anyone especially outsiders to trespass.

 

They make a bonfire in the middle of the road to the village and put a foliage (traditional signboard) on the posts by the road. They used to believe that when the spirits see the bonfire it would turn back or away. Foliage was for traveller. Another method was that they erect a post on both sides of the road and put a bar over it. They covered the posts with phaipi leaves. They slaughter a hoolock gibbon or a dog and hanged over the bar. The slaughtered animal was considered as the main sacrifice to the evil spirits.

 

2. Zehtang (social restriction): There was a strict restriction on health-related rituals. The dos and don’ts of vows is called zehtang. It was observed by an individual or a family or even the whole village. When they do lamkhak (road blockade) then it was zehtang for the whole villagers. This observation revolves around any medical rituals or sacrifices. Individual vows or restrictions was like abstaining from some food, mobility, maintaining silence etc. The family and village restrictions were like social distancing, restriction of movement from house to house and complete lockdown in the village.

 

1. Khawsianna: This ceremony was the cleansing of the village, when they were to break free from the bondage of lockdown. When they performed lamkhak, they have to set themselves free from the restrictions when the outbreak or epidemic was over. To observe this day an announcement was made by the tang-au (village crier) that every family should make a clay model of bison. Then they stuck a grain of rice according to the numbers of their family. On this day, the village crier shouted, ‘strangers want to go home, release all your animals’. Then all people came out driving evil spirits out of every house by shouting, roaring, waving their hands which ended at the entrance of the village. All the clay models were gathered at the chief’s residence, the priest and his assistant carried them to the nearby hill and put them on the ground facing the opposite direction of the village, completing the process the priest said, ‘Now we are free, you cannot enter the village again’. Then they went home without looking back and the whole process was over. From the next day they can continue a normal life. This ceremony was also performed annually in the month of October as religious ritual for seeking good health and wellbeing of the village.

 

2. Innsianna: This ceremony was the cleansing of the house when the zehtang was over for the patient and the family. The period of zehtang were different according to the prescribed ritual or sacrifice. The restrictions were lifted one by one. If the patient was restricted from speaking to anyone then it lasted for only the first night. He could speak again on the next day and usually could cross the door on the second day. On that day the priest visits the patient with all food items in a basket. The priest pour water into the basket and collect the droppings from the bottom on his hand which he let the patient drink. Then the patient became free from all prohibition of eating. On the third day was allowed to cross the gate of their compound. After the days of zehtang the priest cleansed the house and the traditional lockdown was lifted. Until they are satisfied that the disease was completely over, they have zehtang. They can neither go out nor others were allowed to go in. Even a family member had to stay back wherever they went. 

 

If anyone violates the zehtang it was punishable with fines usually the whole expenditure of the sacrifice, as the first sacrifice becomes void and had to perform a new one. The fines can get really high so nobody wants to violate it. The defaulters are called zehphit. Some defaulting fines are as follows:

 

1. If Natpi (major illnesses) were brought into the village then the violator has to pay a fine of a pig with a pot of beer.

 

2. If infected person dines with others family than a bison with a pot of beer.

 

3. If sickness of pigs, dogs and chicken were brought into the village then a pig with a pot of beer.

 

4. If sickness of cows, bison, buffalo and horse then a buffalo with a pot of beer.

 

5. If infected person/s or animal/s venture out or let loose and infects others then four buffaloes with a pot of beer.

 

1. Natpikithoih: The major sicknesses were usually those sickness which is not visible in the body or outwardly. It was believed that the rich, famous and traveller were easily attacked by evil spirits and bewitched by black magic. These were mostly fear by the people. To outcast these evil spirits possession they do kithoih (sacrifice) called Natpikithoih. This sacrifice was usually performed for cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, liver problems etc.

 

When they performed this sacrifice, first they tucked posts of sawlphung tree and sihzo tree leaving a foliage at the top. They erect these posts all around the house and stretch ling-gui (entada vine) as a wreath all over it. This was called kongsawltunlingguikaih and this represent the jurisdiction of the sacrifice. The posts at both side of the gate had a beam over it and on it, the head of the dog was hanged with its mouth open. They also put up a post called dawimung at both jambs of the door and a bar over these posts. On top of the dawimung they put vabuzial, an artificial or handmade bird nest. They wrapped these posts with patkuih leaves. They sacrifice the dog by cutting on the throat like kosher (Jewish) or halal (Islamic). The priest chants incantation on the blood and smeared it on the forehead of the patient. Then he mixed the dog’s blood with different kind of rhizome. The quantity and kinds of rhizome depending on the illnesses and give it to the patient. Usually, all the patients were given the mixture of dog’s blood with rhizome/s in this Natpi sacrifices. It was believed that without this mixture no one could recover from Natpi illnesses.

 

They planted another two posts near the porch. They dig a hole for the posts and before firming with soil for one post. They placed the sacrificial urinary bladder made like a dummy of a man in the hole. The priest danced around the dawimung, chanting and roaring and then he throws the post breaking the dummy into the hole and buried or do firmed the post. They used khiang tree for these two posts and this particular process was known as khiangkhawh. The sacrificial meat was put over the door lintel and the zehtang begins. During such sacrifices no one dares to venture near the house.

 

In Gampikithoih (typhoid sacrifice) the patient had to walk through a half split bamboo kept open at the door. As soon as the patient passed through the bamboo split, the priest closed it thinking that the evil spirits that follows him was strapped in the bamboo. Then priest and his assistant went up the hill covering themselves with a black cloth and called the patient’s name aloud. On returning home they put a branch of tree at the gate saying, ‘we came back and we are in good health now’. While going and coming to the hill the priest and his assistant had to keep mum.

 

2. Nat-tekithoih: The sacrifices for minor illnesses are simpler ritual and different and has its name with the disease. For stomach-ache, the sacrifice was simply called Gilnakithoih meaning stomach-ache sacrifice. In this ritual the patient was lied down on the back and a bowl with water was placed on the stomach/belly and then hot ashes were pour into the bowl while chanting by the priest. Another method was sprinkling of tuibuk (nicotine water) on the belly and using puklo leaf waves to chase the evil spirits with incantations.

 

3. Other sacrifices: There are other sacrifices or rituals which they believed to be possess by the evil spirits dwelling in mountains, rivers, big tree, gorge etc. Chisa (common cold) was believed to be caused by river spirits. If cuts or bruises get septic, they believed there is new spirit and another ritual has to be performed.

 

Tuiman: This sacrifice is for the illness of tuilut (ringworm and the like) which they got from water bodies. To perform this, sacrifice a priest would collect water from all possible water bodies that could have cause the infection. He put them in fire separately and the water that boiled last was the cause. The priest and his assistant went to that water body bringing with them a fowl, a small mat, cotton, cotton yarn and a piece of rusted iron. Reaching the spot, the head of the fowl was cut and the body was immersed into the water. If the fowl looks like drinking the water it was good. They also examined the direction of the neck; it should point to the home otherwise a bad sign. The small mat was tied with the yarn and hung over the water body. Above the mat, cotton, piece of rusted iron and the head of the fowl were hung. If the fowl was loose or snatched away by hawks or others it was worst.

 

In some places instead of offering sacrifice, the water was boiled and with the warm water the infected portion was washed which they had experience effective enough. Another method was that water from all the suspected bodies was collected and mixed together. While warming the water, they watched whether there was any insect trying to escape. Then it was a good indication of the healing of the patient. On the other hand, if the insect went deep down it was a bad sign.

 

Lo bawl: This sacrifice was done when a person displeased a forest spirit. The priest interrogates the sick man where he could have encountered the evil spirits. If he had seen anything unusual in the forest, it could be anything such as muddy water. Then the priest went to that place and make the sacrifice. This was prone during the burning of slash for jhums, believing that they had displeased the spirits. As it was related with agriculture so thus its name lo means agriculture. This sacrifice was also done for good crops and harvest too but in different manner.

 

Uihaawh: Children were known to be prone to seasonal and minor illnesses. It was believed that their blemish flesh attracts the evil spirits right form its birth. To prevent them from such evil eyes, uiha (dog’s tooth) sacrifice was compulsorily had to be performed. As the name defined, dog was used for the sacrifice and its canine tooth was extracted and used as necklace by the child. They also took the root of zihngal tree, cut it in zigzag pattern and stringed on the neck of the child. Sometimes they burn dry chillies at door step, put up fire torch in the porch and have goat’s hair necklace to prevent from evil spirits.

 

Pregnancy or conceive of child was always consider dangerous and is termed as temtazumpua meaning carrying a pointed knife. Anything can happen if careless from miscarriage to death during the pregnancy period till the delivery. The mother-to-be needs to be very careful during this period. There seems to be many labours pain death or death in childbirth in the olden days. The mother-to-be was never considered safe until the child and the mother were successfully separated. The newly mothers are exhausted after the delivery so zuha mixed with warm water was fed and also the baby. Babies have zuha before they have their mother’s milk and it is also a food for motherless infants. Zuha is a fermented grain of millet, maize, rice etc for making zu (traditional beverage). During pregnancy, the mother’s feeling of nausea is called nauhaih. They read the normal conceive period as ten months. Though there is a case of seven months pregnancy also. But they believed that the conceive period of eight months as bad omen as the child usually does not survive. They continue to do their daily chores near their delivery month, there is a sneaking belief this helps in delivery. The delivery was nursed by the traditional mid-wife. Midwifery was taken as a gift from the gods. Some elderly women, usually from their own experience have the knowledge or skill of midwifery. When the delivery was unusual and took longer time then normalcy then a giljutthei meaning to have the knowledge of pushing belly or stomach came to assist the midwife. They can help not just a woman but even an animal. The umbilical cord called naugui was tied at about two inches from the child’s belly button with cotton thread or plant fiber and another knot at about two to three inches away from the first knot towards the naulamh (placenta) and it was cut between the knots with a bamboo split. Bamboo was used to prevent septic and metal knife was very rarely used. The placenta was placed in a gourd-bowl with a hole at the bottom and buried away.

 

According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘a traditional healer is a person who is recognized by the community in which he lives as competent to provide health care by using vegetables, animal and mineral substances and certain other methods based on the social, cultural and religious background as well as on the knowledge and attitude and beliefs that are prevalent in the community regarding physical, mental and social wellbeing and the causation of diseases and disability’. The traditional healer was also the priest of the village called siampu. The priest or healer or medicine man was given a high respect in his prime time. He performed all the medical sacrifice; village sacrifices and death ceremony. Sometimes he even enjoyed the authority to punish criminals. He received his fees in the form of traditional clothes, basket of paddy, chicken etc. For treatments, he used substances from plants, herbs, tubers, water and animal species. He made a magical chant during the sacrifices. He also had an assistant/s. He made an idol using mud and worships that idol by offering animal sacrifice every time before he started his practise. The medicine (mixture) was sacrifice to the idol and given to the patient after performing and uttering the necessary rituals. The sacrificial meat was taken by the priest and the performers. If it was sacrifice in the forest then it was finished there and nothing was brought home. In homely sacrifice, only after the priest declared the meat was free, it can be taken.

 

Some herbs and species used for treating diseases.

 

Items Disease

1. Rhino’s blood Stomach-ache

2. Bear’s gall bladder Eye problem

3. Tobacco leaf Boils

4. Cowrie Eye problem

5. Prawn or Crab Epilepsy

6. Honey Slow decomposition of corpse

 

1. The traditional health care system has lost its importance in the present day. The practise is seen as shamanic nature in the Christian society. 

 

2. Paite are now cent percent Christians at present and starts believing in modern science and medicine and has also change their health seeking behaviour. 

 

3. It is recommendable that leaving aside the shamanism, the medicinal importance must be retained and re-study as to be acceptable in traditional health care like ayurvedic, unani, siddha etc. 

 

4. Due to growth of deforestation, agriculture and other development activities, the medicinal plants growing in the wild are on the verge of extinction. 

 

5. The medicinal substances are being destroyed due to lack of knowledge of its importance. 

 

6. Scientists and researchers should give keen interest or important in herbal medicinal studies for further studies and also the government should intervene to offer health and economic benefits to the indigenous people.

 

Based on the results of data analysis it can be concluded that the traditional healthcare in Paite culture have an important socio-religious value. There was a simple understanding about the illnesses and diseases among the tribe. The assumption as the work of spirits compelled them to performed expensive sacrifices. The genna seems to be a superstition but it might be a norm came up after a long experience of the simplest way to avoid illnesses. There was a lot of child mortality in the past so special care was given to child birth. The shaman or the priest was the prominent actor in the healthcare facility in those days. The substances used as medicine must contain the chemicals needed for healing the diseases. This intrinsicknowledge must be obtained after a long experiment by their ancestors. Thus, the development of ethnomedicine in India largely depend upon the proper research, government’s policy and people’s co-operation and consciousness.