Beyond 'intelligence'
BEYOND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: TOWARDS TRADITIONAL RESOURCE RIGHTS FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES· Darrell A Posey and Graham …
Folk cures
In Ethiopia, traditional healers can be a good alternative to an inefficient public health system
In custody
The zabo is the chosen water harvesting system of the Chakhesang tribals of Nagaland's Kikruma village. Placed by fate in the rain-shadow of a …
The red tape vs Kanis
The forest department reserves the right to conserve arogyapacha, and prevents Kanis from selling it outside
The miracle-makers
Scientists are only now finding out the Kanis' knowledge of herbal remedies. The most outstanding find so far is arogyapacha
Uninspired view of culture and development
Culture and Development: Cultural Patterns in Areas of Uneven Development K C Alexander and K P Kumaran Publisher: Sage Publications, New Delhi, …
Ayurveda offers remedy for failing memory
After yielding successful formulations like Liv. 52 and Guglip, Ayurveda now holds out promise of a new range of drugs to treat mental disorders.
Stretching arguments to point of absurdity
SCIENCE, DEVELOPMENT AND VIOLENCE -- THE TWILIGHT OF MODERNITY Claude Alvares Publisher: Oxford University Press, New Delhi Price: Rs 195
Mughal system stilll supplies water at zero cost
Mughal builders are known the world over for the Taj Mahal. But their water engineers built a supply system in 1615 that still provides water to …
Building up a dangerous trend
Last October's earthquake destroyed 20 per cent of Uttarkashi's houses. When the rubble had settled, it was found that the older, traditional …
"India has lost much to the West"
Lynn Crisanta R Panganiban is a physician in the department of pharmacology at the University of Philippines, Manila. A toxicologist and an …
Popular science
Traditional science and technologies are crucial to the everyday life of a large part of India. But will the traditions hold on?
Tribals become anthropologists
An academy that aims at converting tribals to anthropology; where the Bhils crossover from being mere objects of study to an active role in …
The Baigas and their weavers
The buzzword these days in Baigachak is the Baiga Mahapanchayat. It is an effort of Nai Disha, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Sijhora …
Sacred Ecology
Sacred Ecology examines bodies of knowledge held by indigenous and other rural peoples around the world, and asks how we can learn from this …
In crisis
The desert city of Jodhpur in Rajasthan is an excellent example of how Thoughtless processes of modernisation and urbanisation have destroyed an …
Making sense of `Make in India'
Manufacturing needs to get a boost. But what to manufacture and how are two critical questions
Traditional irrigation fails themoney test
USER-FRIENDLY IRRIGATION DESIGNS Nirmal Sengupta Publisher: Sage Publications, New Delhi Price: Rs 185
Tears and the drama aside, the message survives
Prabhat Roy's award-winning Shwet Paatharer Thala is a tear-jerker, which nevertheless effectively preaches the lesson of family welfare.
The wood femine
Decline in supplies has badly affected many traditional crafts. Woodcarving in Saharanpur is one of them. Despite a revitalised export market, …
Science of the Common people
A recent congress highlighted the relevance of people-oriented science and technology such as the management of water, forests and agriculture.
The other course
Traditional curative systems like ayurveda, homoeopathy, acupuncture... are being revived as alternative medicine. But in India and the Orient, …
Knowledge seeks power
The rights of indigenous communities, which have nurtured traditional systems of knowledge through the ages, will be discussed at length at …
"Natural resources need to be protected"
For centuries the people in Bhinyad, a village in Barmer district, Rajasthan, been planning their agricultural activities while preserving the …
Power to the people
The Biodiversity Bill to empower local communities under scrutiny of parliamentary standing committee