A Study on Indigenous Medical Treatments of a Traditional Community in Laggala (Lakegala) Village in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Lakegala is the only traditional village left after the construction of the Kaluganga reservoir. Preliminary studies show that the village possesses most of the traditional medical treatment methods and techniques of the past in the region. It is essential to record and analyze their methods so that they are available for future generations. The research problem is what specific treatment methods are possessed by the present community. Primary data was collected through in-depth interviews of key informants during a field visit. Secondary data was collected from historical reports including sources searched through the internet. The following are the research questions addressed in this research: Who are the indigenous community of Rawana? What is their history? What is the theoretical system of the indigenous medicine system? What are the changes in their attitudes? We know any ethnic community has its own beliefs, rituals and treatment methods. How the indigenous medicine treatment influenced by local and Western medical treatments? The main source of information on the indigenous people of Sri Lanka and their medical care including the valuable medical system is the folklore. Studying the history of any country and the hypotheses which are given through the folklore have considerable importance. Especially there is a high probability of finding the knowledge of indigenous medicine through the folklore of Sri Lanka. The indigenous peoples with anthropological, sociological and psychological values are based on the inherited indigenous medicine treatment system. This research study based on the sociological and psychological characteristics used by indigenous medicine consists of two branches of curing physical and mental diseases. This research study explores that there are sociological, anthropological and psychological values of indigenous medicine. Field studies, interviews, questionnaire methods and natural observation were used to prove the above facts.