Rare And Unexplored Ethnozoological Practices of Tangkhul Naga Community of Manipur: A North Eastern State of India

Abstract

Ethnozoology is an applied discipline that integrates both the basic and social sciences which observe the aspects of nature, socioeconomic, anthropological and historical aspects of the animal and human relationship exist in that community. Tangkhul Naga community of the Ukhrul district of Manipur have a rich heritage of using animal products in their folklore medicines for the treatment of various human ailments since time immemorial. The present study was carried out with an intention to find out various animal-based products uses in the traditional healing system among the Tangkhul Naga community of Manipur, India. A survey for the data collection was carried out for a period of one year through semi-structural questionnaires, interactions through oral conversations with local medicinal practitioners, old men and women. The study reveals that a total 21 different animal species and their products are used for the treatment of different human ailments. Of the total 21 numbers of animals, 9 belongs to the invertebrate groups and 12 to the vertebrate groups. Out of the 9 animals from the invertebrate group, 1 annelid, 7 arthropods and 1 mollusc comprise 4.76%, 33.3% and 4.67% fauna respectively while in the vertebrate group, 2 amphibians, 1 reptile, 3 Aves and 6 mammals contributed 9.5%, 4.76%, 14.28% and 28.57% fauna respectively. The finding shows that the ethnozoological practices of using animal derived medicines employed by Tangkhul community in Manipur plays an important part in the primary health care system of this community which are rare as well as undocumented till today. Proper documentation and sustainable exploration of such rare traditional information on ethno-zoological practices of the Tangkhul community of the Manipur will be helpful in the integration of the traditional knowledge system in the modern medicines and ultimately in the formation of strategies for sustainable exploration and conservation of such bio resources.