Unveiling Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITKs) Using Different Available Plants by the Local People of South Sikkim, India

Abstract

Northeast India is biologically diverse regions, among which the South Sikkim district possesses unique rural landscapes enhanced with endless waves of farming areas and terraced hills. Within this region, three main indigenous groups—Nepali, Lepcha and Bhutia—coexist, contributing to the cultural diversity. Over the years, these communities have cultivated a traditional knowledge based on which they are greatly dependant on diverse plant resources for both protective measures and medicinal practices. These traditional practices encourages a strong local knowledge base. These practices include local plants namely utis (Alnus nepalensis), chilauni (Schima wallichii), wild fern, titepati (Artemisia vulgaris) and many more. However, despite the rich diversity of these cultural practices connected with nature, there is a lack of detailed exploration and documentation for better understanding traditional practices and ethno-medicinal knowledge upheld by these communities. The absence of such documentation underscores a significant gap in our understanding of their cultural heritage, as these ITKs can be further integrated with science to make contribution for adaptive management to many environmental and health issues. Therefore, this study is conducted with the aim to unreveal the potential of these traditional practices and ethno-medicinal knowledge preserve among the diverse communities of South Sikkim, which can help to shed light on their cultural heritage and to recognize their invaluable contributions.