Paper short abstract:

An attempt is made to highlight the role of ethno-medicine and health care practices among the Hakki Pikki tribe in urban cities.

Paper long abstract:

The traditional occupations of the Hakkipikki tribe was hunting and bird trapping, and selling herbal medicines, apart from their traditional occupation, they have learnt the art of making models of the animals with the use of the skin of the hunted animals by filling with husk or dried grass. The population of the tribe according to the 1981 census was 3,471.They are nomadic and a large part of the year they lead nomadic life Healthy condition of the body is the gift, of the god. Hard work from dawn to dusk make healthy according to them. The traditional occupation of the Hakki Pikki tribe was bird hunting and trapping and selling the medicine and giving the treatment to diseases for the both rural urban population. Among the tribes the sickness is cured by administrating ethno-medicine, otherwise known as folk disease. The local experts are paid something either in cash or kind as reward for their services rendered. The ethno-medicine consists of herbs, application of oils and mixtures. Their treatment was largely restricted to rest, diet and exercise rather than drugs.

The ethno-medicine and health care practices among Hakki Pikki is more both in urban and rural areas. In the recent trend the people still believe in ethno medicine, allopathic, homeopathic and other kind of treatment in both rural and urban cities.