The Impact of Oral Tradition (Vedagata, Guru Mushti and Kem methods) on the Circulation of Knowledge in Indigenous Medicine: With Special Emphasis on Kurunegala District

Abstract

The purpose of the research “The Impact of Oral Tradition (Vedagata, Guru Mushti, and Kem methods, etc.) on the Circulation of Knowledge in Indigenous Medicine: With Special Emphasis on Kurunegala District” was to identify the role of oral methods in sharing the knowledge of the indigenous medicine. In addition, there were several purposes such as identifying the nature of public consciousness on oral tradition and indigenous medicine, identifying the studying oral methods regarding the indigenous medicine, and oral methods regard to the preparation of indigenous medicine. The sample was selected only from the registered traditional specialists (physicians) in the Kurunegala district, due to the limited access to an island-wide basis. All these participants were advanced in the respected subject and were expected to have a reasonable generalization about the research. The ethnographic research method has been used for the study. To accomplish the objective of the study, several methods were used for data collection, including semi-structured questionnaires, supplementary interviews, and observations. The supplementary interviews were conducted with the above-mentioned selected sample in Kurunegala district. The method that has been used to select the sample was the purposive sampling method. The researcher was able to reach the data saturation point once sharing 50 questionnaires and conducting the supplementary interviews with the same count. Therefore, the sample size can be defined as 50 (The size of the sample was not pre-defined, and data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires with the sample until the researcher arrived at the data saturation point along with the relevant process). Findings were confirmed by data obtained through secondary sources of literature review. The main finding of the study is that oral tradition has played a very important role in the circulation of knowledge of indigenous medicine since ancient times and it still plays a significant role in that field. The primary methods used to transmit traditional medical knowledge orally are, Vedagata, Guru Mushti, and Kem methods etc.