ALL
plant
ICH Elements 15
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Forms of folk traditional medicine
Nomadic Mongols, while moving from place to place tending to their domestic animals in the severe continental climate of Central Asia with four different seasons, have created and practiced the peculiar way of traditional medicine and treatment of various illnesses. The methods of treatments experienced for centuries which derived from their simple lives, later have recognized as the traditional medicine. There are many traditional methods of treating illnesses including bleeding and lancing wounds, cauterizing wounds, puncturing with a needle to cure a disease, massaging, and treating by unorthodox means. In the west these methods are famous as “Five oriental treatment methods”. Medical herbs, limbs of animals, and minerals are used as natural forms of medical treatment individually or sometimes mixed with each other.
Mongolia -
GULPARVARI, Gulshinoni, niholparvari
Traditional knowledge and practices of the growing flowers and other decorative plants.
Tajikistan -
Traditional knowledge in medicine
Knowledge of the Kyrgyz concerning treatment and use of medicinal plants is distinguished by depth and diversity. It contains knowledge and practice about harvesting, drying, and storing medicinal plants, and their use in traditional medicine. Different tinctures, decoctions, ointments, and powders made of plants for treatment purposes are used today in traditional medicine to treat bleedings, heart deceases, kinks, scabs. Except plants, natural objects, minerals, and animal limbs are used in traditional medicine. The so called psychological treatment methods such as spells and exorcisms were used in the past, to which the Kyrgyz, rarely, but still resort to nowadays.
Kyrgyzstan -
Migogo
In the KadazanDusun language Migogo means "to hug someone’s or an opponent’s body and drop him with the hands". This traditional game is an activity of the KadazanDusun ethnic that is usually played on the paddy fields after the planting or harvesting seasons. The male players compete with their strengths and skills to attract the attention of village girls to be made as wives. Popular in the 1930s and 1940s, presently since the 1950s this game is made as one of the activities in the Kaamatan Festival celebration that is the festival after paddy harvesting.
Malaysia
ICH Materials 10
Open Archive 2
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Henna Art
This photo was taken right after I got a piece of “henna art” painted onto my arm. It happened during my visit to the Moroccan pavilion at “EXPO 2017 Astana”. This plant-based skin dye art carries significant symbolic importance and is considered beneficial for both the mind and the soul. It is said that the best medicine is often the one the earth gives us, and henna is one of the perfect hidden gems transmitted from generation to generation. It is not just a temporary fast tattoo; indeed, authentic Moroccan henna art is a craft that requires years of practice and entails a broad spectrum of various styles, techniques, symbolisms, traditions, and rituals. Prior to the beginning of the drawing process, a master should know how to make a perfect henna paste from natural ingredients and achieve the right structure and colour. This process alone requires years of continuous practice. Additionally, henna artists follow their intuition in their hands-on-technique, making sure that every work is truly unique. Combining the motifs in an endless variation also takes years of study and practice.
Morocco -
Myanmar Thanakha
Myanmar women adore Thanakha for its sweet fragrance. The botanical name of Thanakha is Hesperethusa Crenulata (ROXB.) ROEM. Thanakha plant or branch is cut into small sizes about 6 or 4 inches. If we grind Thanakha bark with a little water on a circular stone slab called "Kyauk Pyin", we will get a milky yellow liquid or Thanakha paste. Myanmar women usually apply Thanakha paste on their faces and hands and some prefer wearing the whole body.The practice of Thanakha culture has existed in Myanmar society since yore. Thanakha is still preserved as Myanma cultural tradition till today. Thanakha and "Kyauk Pyin" are inseparable. "Kyauk Pyin" is the circular shape of sand stone slab and its surface is elevated in the middle and there is a channel around the rim for the paste to drain into. Kyauk Pyin and Thanakha are essential for the practice of Thanakha culutre in Myanmar society. People use Thanakha for beauty but also for medicinal purpose. Sweet fragrant Thanakha paste is used for cleansing the face of Buddha Image. As Myanmar saying goes:"Mee Phone Hlu Pwe, Tabodwe", the scented bonfire festival is also held by burning Thanakha woods to offer warmth to the Lord Buddha in Myanmar month Tabodwe which falls in February. Because of extreme cold weather in Tabodwe, the scented bonfire or "Mee Phone Pwe" is held in the pagoda precinct with great devotion. In some areas, Thanakha-based cultural festival, "Thanakha Par Toe Pwe" is also held with great traditions. Ethnic women from the hills and the plains across Myanmar cherish and value Thanakha. Both men and women alike have been using Thanakha paste because of its cool sensation and positive effects. In addition that some put extra patch on their cheeks to protect from burning heat of the sun. The farmers and farm girls could get sweaty for working long hours in the field but they always feel fresh because of soothing effect of Thanakha fragrance. That is why Thanakha is the favourite of farmers and workers."Kyauk Pyin" and Thanakha wood can be found in every Myanmar household. Parents wear Thanakha to their offsprings. Likewise, uncles, aunts, elder brothers and sisters used to wear Thanakha to their young nieces, nephews as well as younger brothers and sisters. The farm girls and construction workers used to wear Thanakha paste very thickly for beauty but also for preventing the sunburn.The Thanakha growers and producers are also vital role in this element. Since ancient times, Thanakha culture has been preserving and practicing in Myanmar society. In Mynmar families, the tradition of wearing Thanakha is handed down from generation to generation. The parents, elder brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts never fail to put on Thanakha to young daughters and sons, nieces and nephews. While smearing Thanakha paste on the face, the mother also feeds fragrant residue to her baby. Thanakha plays a crucial role in the daily life of Myanmar people. In Myanmar family, the mother showers her infant baby and introduces Thanakha while praying the Lord to protect her baby from harms and dangers. The mother smears the wet paste of Thanakha on the kid’s forehead and later on both cheeks. The mother also feeds Thanakha paste to her baby which can protect chicken pox and measles. Because of the cool and pleasant Thanakha fragrance and the mother’s endless love, the baby feels great warmth and comfort. While applying Thanakha, the elders teach young children about the importance of good manners, ethics and moral values. Psychologically, Thanakha has positive effects for good concentration enhancing the power of wisdom and memory. Among seasonal festivals, the scented bonfire festival is held where fragrant Thanakha and sandal woods are burnt to provide warmth to the Lord Buddha with great devotion. Such kind of Thanakha-based festival has been holding on the Full Moon Day of Myanmar month Tapodwe which falls in February. Moreover, Thanakha is also used for the washing rituals performed at Mandalay Mahamuni Buddha Temple and such offering of Thanakha paste is renowned as the cultural values of Myanmar society. For fun and friendship, young people do whisking Thanakha paste on the cheeks of young visitors with great traditions in Yaw area.Thanakha is also used for Myanmar traditional medicine. Thanakha is common across Myanmar including the hills and the plains so also the rural and urban areas.Thanakha had long been used as atrditional cosmetic by Myanmar people and recently found ways to foreign market. Thanakha is the part and parcel of Myanmar culture. The paste of Thanakha is beloved to a diverse array of ethnicities and religion. Thanakha is worn by people of all ages, men and women alike, whether rich or poor. The practice of Myanmar Thanakha culture is for skin care, for beauty, to protect the sunburn so also as the traditional medicine. Thanakha is used at traditional festivals, social rituals and religious ceremonies. Although Thanakha wearing is common among people of all ages, women use for beauty and men use for skin care.
Myanmar