Glancing Through the Lens of Emic and Etic: An Exploratory Case of Traditional Healing Practices for Snakebites in the Saharia Tribe, India
Nishant Saxena, Stuti Singh, Roumi DebBackground
Tribes in India mostly inhabit areas close to forests wherein animal bites, especially snakebites, are an inevitable threat. Saharia tribe is scattered in Central India and has a long-standing tradition of an indigenous medicine system centred around traditional healers (THs) who provide health services in the community. The emic-etic viewpoints relate to two deep-seated and elemental ways of observing, describing and analysing cultures. Emic is more about the insider’s perspective, and etic is hinged towards the observer’s perspective.
Objective
The idea of the study was to explore a new framework based on emic-etic approach of understanding the nuances of integrative health for underserved and remotely located tribal community when struck with snakebite.
Methods
By employing ethnographic methods in the Saharia tribe, we explored the associated emic and etic themes of traditional treatment methods for snakebites. After obtaining the informed consent, in-depth interviews were conducted with THs and their beneficiaries. Content analysis was performed to come up with relevant themes related to emic-etic approaches.
Results
When we combined the two viewpoints, we found that while the community preferred to consult traditional healers, particularly for treating snakebites, the modern healthcare system questioned their status in terms of scientific validity. Folklore, which formed the foundation of the tribal community’s culture, had a significant influence on how snakebites were managed.
Conclusion
Applying the emic-etic framework, the study pointed to the deep disconnect between the traditional and modern biomedical health practices for snakebite management. This unique framework exhibited that combining traditional knowledge with modern healthcare practices through structured documentation, context-aligned referral, and community engagement with an overarching One Health approach may strengthen healthcare and snakebite management in the underserved tribal communities. However, we must be mindful that this approach is evolving and the study presents a limited scope in terms of coverage.