Monographs published on various tribes in India by Anthropologists, Sociologists and other scholars have made passing references of ethnomedical beliefs and practices about the tribes studied by them. Tribhuwan Robin, in his book captioned, ?Medical World of Tribals,? has dealt with illness ideology, body symbolism and ritual healing. However, there are hardly any books that have explored the tribal perceptions of body image, human reproduction and birth control, from an insider?s perspective.
This book presents the perceptions beliefs and practices of five tribes namely, Thakars, Santhals, Gonds, Mavchis and Ao Nagas about human body, reproduction and birth control. The authors suggest that such studies by carried out in all the 750 tribes of the country, so as to understand the scientific rationale and also the misconceptions and superstitious beliefs that are harmful. This data base will certainly contribute in evaluating the safety, efficacy, quality and the standardization of tribal ethnomedical systems, so as to protect their heritage and preserve their knowledge. This book will certainly prove useful to researchers and students of social, health and medical sciences, including NGOs and Governmental departments.