The Roles of a Folk Healers in Relation to Self-Reliance Health Care of the Folks at Tambon Dong Ma da, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the roles of folk healers in encouraging the community to rely on themselves in health care. The main data sources are folk healers in Tambon Dong Ma Da, Mae Lao district, the province of Chiang Rai. Data collection is through in-depth interviews and participant observations method. The findings show that folk healers play an important role in promoting Dong Ma Da people’s awareness in health care. The roles of folk healers are identified in three aspects: 1) as an individual -- a healer, 2) as a guru or sage who influences the community, and 3) as a driving force for the society’s policy, especially
the one dealing with local wisdom. These healers are the keys to raise the community awareness and appreciation of local wisdom. The community has developed systemic knowledge management and local wisdom curriculum for learning. Such awareness and management help to instill gratitude, and value appreciation since the people regard the local wisdom as the community's property, to be applicable for self-reliance in health care.