Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Bonds in Traditional Medicine: An Anthropological Study of Baloch Traditional Medicine

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Abdollatif Karevani 1
Amanollah Tamandehro 2
Abolqasem Seddiqifar 3
1 Assistant Professor of Sociology, Hormozgan University, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of History and Anthropology, Velayat University, Iranshahr, Iran.
3 Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Velayat University, Iranshahr, Iran.
10.22034/jasi.2026.2088876.1629
Abstract
Traditional medicine, as part of the intangible cultural heritage of every ethnic group, reflects indigenous knowledge, worldviews, and the relationship between humans and nature in confronting the phenomena of illness and health. The present study, adopting an anthropological approach, aims to understand and document the indigenous knowledge and cultural bonds embedded in Baloch traditional medicine. This research employs a qualitative methodology with an ethnographic design. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured and in-depth interviews with key informants—including local healers, elders, indigenous botanists, and patients—as well as through the lived experiences of the researchers, who are themselves natives of the region. Archival and document analysis were also utilized to supplement and validate the data. The findings indicate that traditional medicine in Makoran is rich and diverse. In this region, 23 species of medicinal plants are prepared and consumed using four methods: decoction, infusion, extraction, and distillation. The indigenous diagnostic and treatment system is classified according to three criteria: temperament (hot or cold), the affected organ, and the etiological agent. Therapeutic methods are diverse, including herbal medicine, cauterization, cupping, dietary therapy, and complex combination therapies such as "Balochi physiotherapy" for the treatment of post-stroke paralysis. The results emphasize that historical marginalization and the lack of medical facilities in Makoran have not only failed to hinder the formation of a rich therapeutic culture but have also fostered a deeper connection between the people and their natural environment, leading to the discovery of the medicinal properties of native plants.
Keywords
Autoethnography
Indigenous Knowledge
Makoran
Medicinal Plants
Traditional Medicine
Subjects
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