Natioanal Seminar Tribal Ethno Medicine in Kerala: Continuity and Change

Dear Sir / Madam,

We are happy to invite you to the Seminar Tribal Ethno Medicine in Kerala:  Continuity and Change, organized by the Postgraduate Department of History, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, under the Sponsorship of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Southern Regional Centre, Hyderabad.

The primary objective of the seminar is to evaluate the medical practices and healing rituals of the tribal communities in Kerala and to examine the changes occurring in the traditional medical systems as a result of the influence of codified systems of health management.

Available data indicate that health of indigenous people is significantly poorer than that of other groups. Communicable diseases and nutritional deficiencies overwhelmingly affect many communities. Indigenous communities often depend on eco-systems that are also rapidly deteriorating. These problems come in the wake of social disintegration caused by modernization and the destruction of traditional authority structures and autonomous decision –making.

The introduction of Western Medicine has had many impacts on the community in general and ethno medical system in particular. The new system of health care and all its methods and concepts are alien to the tribal community. During the first half of the Nineteenth Century in Kerala nobody bothered to avail of its facilities, as people thought that it was not ideal to their culture. So there was a period of non contact between the tribal community and the advocates of modern medicine. In this phase they continued the use of ethno medicine for the treatment of illness afflicting them.

Study of the medical system of tribal communities and their health problems is very relevant in view of acquiring knowledge of the health care practices of this section of population and also such information carry obvious policy and planning implications as well. The problem proposed to be investigated in the National Seminar Tribal Ethno Medicine in Kerala: Continuity and Change is the ethno medical practices found among the tribals and the extent to which this system is influenced by various factors of change.

Prof. M. R.  Raghava Varier has kindly consented to inaugurate the Seminar. It is scheduled to be held at History Department Seminar Hall on 21 December 2011, Wednesday.

We look forward to your participation in making this event a memorable one

Prof.S. Valsala Kumary

Spl. Grade Principal, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam

 Mariam George

Head of the Department of History

Dr. Vinodkumar Kallolickal

Seminar Director

PROGRAMME

FRIDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2011

REGISTRATION:              9.30 am -9.50 am

INAUGURAL SESSION: 10.00 am -11.30 am

PRAYER

WELCOME                                          MARIAM GEORGE

                                                              HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS                PROF.S. VALSALA KUMARY

                                                                              SPL. GRADE PRINCIPAL, MAHARAJA’S

                                                                                  COLLEGE,ERNAKULAM

INAUGURAL ADDRESS                    M. R. Raghava Varier

           

FELICITATIONS

                                                    Prof. K V ROSAMMA

                                                     VICE - PRINCIPAL, MAHARAJA’S

                                                                                COLLEGE, ERNAKULAM

                                                                    Prof. THOMAS ANTONY

                                                                       ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF BOTONY

                                                                   Sri. K. T. SIVANANDAN VAIDYAR

                                                                    LOCAL HEALTH- TRADITIONAL TREATMENT WING, SSM

                                                                       

VOTE OF THANKS                  SHIBILA T S (11 MA HISTORY)

                                                           

TEA BREAK                           11. 30 am – 11.45 am

SESSION II                            11.45   am – 1.00 pm

Welcome                                 DR. R. SREEKUMAR

                                                SPL. GRADE LECTURER IN HISTORY

CHAIR                                     DR. ANNIES GEORGE

                                                ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

PRESENTATION   1              DR. C. R. RAJAGOPALAN

                                                HON. DIRECTOR, ICKS & PROFESSOR OF MALAYALAM,

                                                                                UNIVERSITY OF KERALA AND

TOPIC:                             LOCAL HEALTH TRADITIONS/ SUSTAINABILITY AND CHALLENGES

PRESENTATION 2    DR. VINODKUMAR KALLOLICKAL

                                                ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

                                                                MAHARAJA’S COLLEGE, ERNAKULAM

TOPIC                        CHANGE AND ADAPTATION OF ETHNO MEDICINE                       

DISCUSSION                          12.40 pm – 1.00pm

VOTE OF THANKS                SRI.  SHAMKUMAR (III  B A HISTORY)

CHIEF PATRON

PROF. S VALSALA KUMARY

SPL. GRADE PRINCIPAL, MAHARAJA’S COLLEGE, ERNAKULAM

PATRON

PROF. K V ROSAMMA

VICE - PRINCIPAL, MAHARAJA’S   COLLEGE, ERNAKULAM

PROGRAMME  CO-ORDINATOR

PROF. MARIAM GEORGE

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

SEMINAR DIRECTOR

DR. VINODKUMAR KALLOLICKAL

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

ORGANISING COMMITTEE

DR. ANIES GEORGE

DR. R SREEKUMAR

SRI. ABDUL LATHEEF

SRI. OMAL  ALOYSIUS

SRI. LUKMANUAL  HAKEEM K

SRI. PREDEEP JOSEPH