Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period

Received: 29 March 2024     Accepted: 29 April 2024     Published: 11 September 2024
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The ancient village society lived with a focus on local Hela medicine and traditional food and drinks. The current village society is a group of people who live collectively while maintaining their ancient identity claiming a self-sufficient lifestyle. Against this background, the objective is to study the past situation and the modern nature and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on it. Relevant information was obtained by using the data obtained through interviews with 58 rural households in Alagalla village belonging to Hatharaliyadda Divisional Secretariat Division and from the records of the village officer and the records of the local medical hall. According to these data, it was revealed that there is a wide knowledge and use of the traditional hand medicine of the past villagers in the sample of 10 people over 60 years old. But in the later period, it is possible to identify the distance from this due to leaning towards the Western medicine system, focusing on fast food, and not paying much attention to local medicines. With the after-effects of the Corona epidemic and people's attention being focused on local medicines and food and drinks, the focus was again on this. This is 100% according to the data. The temptation to grow local foods of the past can be identified. It is 80 days according to the data. Among those crops, turmeric, figs, dandila, milk yam, cassava, herbs, and vegetables are the main ones. In the post-COVID pandemic period, trust in local food and Hela medicine has been gained due to Western doctors advising on the use of local herbs, rural people turning to Hela medicine due to the side effects of vaccinations, and increased media awareness. Among the local medicines, the use of a decoction of katupila, Nelli, Aralu, Bulu, Rasakinda, Honey, Nika, Tumba, etc. can be mentioned. Based on this background, introducing Hela medicine as a successful treatment method in the post-Corona period and improving local medicine are the main tasks to be done here. It is correct to say that there is a timely need to discuss the preservation of this valuable wealth of knowledge in Hela medicine as an intangible cultural heritage and its use in current practices. The study revealed that in the wake of the post-COVID epidemic, there is a renewed understanding of Hela medicine and local food and drinks among the rural people.

Published in Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11
Page(s) 103-108
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID Epidemic, Hela Medicine, Traditional Food and Drink, Village Society, Villagers

References
[1] WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. (2021). Retrieved From:
[2] World Health Organization. (July 14, 2021). COVID-19 advice for the public: Getting vaccinated. Retrieved From:
[3] Chen Y, Liu Q, Guo D. Emerging Corona viruses: Genome structure, replication, and pathogenesis. J Med Virol. 2020 Apr; 92(4): 418-423.
[4] Arashkia A, Jalilvand S, Mohajel N, Afchangi A, Azadmanesh K, Salehi-Vaziri M. SARS CoV-2 Rapid Response Team of Pasteur Institute of Iran (PII). Severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus-2 spike (S) protein-based vaccine candidates: State of the art and future prospects. Rev Med Virol. 2021 May; 31(3): 2183.
[5] Wikipedia. Symptoms of Coronavirus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 22 February 2021. [Internet] United State.
[6] Epidemiology Unit (2021). COVID 19 confirmed death week analysis. Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Retrieved From:
[7] Abeyrathne R. M. Development in the State Patronage of Traditional Medicine in Sri Lanka 1900-1980) (unpublished Ph. D. Thesis), University of London, P. 14 (2010).
[8] Ananda, T., & Ali, I. (2022). Sri Lankans’ Negotiations Around COVID-19: Can a Culture Control a Viral Outbreak. In I. Ali, and D. Floyd (Eds.), Negotiating the Pandemic Cultural, National, and Individual Constructions of COVID-19 (No 12). Routledge Inc. ISBN: 9781032028408, Retrieved From:
[9] Nicola, M., Alsafi, S., & Agha, R. (2020). The socio-economic implication of the coronavirus pandemic, Retrieved From:
[10] Scott, A. M., Gross, L. J., (2021). Covid 19 and crime: Analysis of crime dynamic amidst social distancing protocols, Retrieved From:
[11] Shukman, D. (2020 June 23). Coronavirus: Could social distancing of less than two meters work, Retrieved from:
[12] Kumarasinghe, A. & Senevirathne, R. D. A. ‘Lankawe Ayurveda Pracharaya (The popularity of Ayurveda in Sri Lanka) in Ayurveda Sastraya, ed. The Rev. Kotehene Pagnasekare, pp. 66-73. (1962).
[13] Uragoda, U. C. A History of Medicine in Sri Lankafrom the Earliest Times to 1948, Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, p. 12. (1987).
[14] Hettige, S. T.‘Western and Ayurvedic system of medicine in Sri Lanka: some preliminary observations’. Vidyodaya Journal of Social Science, Vol. 5, no. 1 & 2, pp. 27-28 (1991).
[15] Uragoda, U. C. A History of Medicine in Sri Lankafrom the Earliest Times to 1948, Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, p. 18-29. (1987).
[16] Divisional ayurvedic office, Hatharaliyadda Divisional ayurvedic reports 2022.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ekanayaka, N. (2024). The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period. Humanities and Social Sciences, 12(5), 103-108. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Ekanayaka, N. The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2024, 12(5), 103-108. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Ekanayaka N. The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period. Humanit Soc Sci. 2024;12(5):103-108. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11,
      author = {Nimesha Ekanayaka},
      title = {The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period
    },
      journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
      volume = {12},
      number = {5},
      pages = {103-108},
      doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20241205.11},
      abstract = {The ancient village society lived with a focus on local Hela medicine and traditional food and drinks. The current village society is a group of people who live collectively while maintaining their ancient identity claiming a self-sufficient lifestyle. Against this background, the objective is to study the past situation and the modern nature and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on it. Relevant information was obtained by using the data obtained through interviews with 58 rural households in Alagalla village belonging to Hatharaliyadda Divisional Secretariat Division and from the records of the village officer and the records of the local medical hall. According to these data, it was revealed that there is a wide knowledge and use of the traditional hand medicine of the past villagers in the sample of 10 people over 60 years old. But in the later period, it is possible to identify the distance from this due to leaning towards the Western medicine system, focusing on fast food, and not paying much attention to local medicines. With the after-effects of the Corona epidemic and people's attention being focused on local medicines and food and drinks, the focus was again on this. This is 100% according to the data. The temptation to grow local foods of the past can be identified. It is 80 days according to the data. Among those crops, turmeric, figs, dandila, milk yam, cassava, herbs, and vegetables are the main ones. In the post-COVID pandemic period, trust in local food and Hela medicine has been gained due to Western doctors advising on the use of local herbs, rural people turning to Hela medicine due to the side effects of vaccinations, and increased media awareness. Among the local medicines, the use of a decoction of katupila, Nelli, Aralu, Bulu, Rasakinda, Honey, Nika, Tumba, etc. can be mentioned. Based on this background, introducing Hela medicine as a successful treatment method in the post-Corona period and improving local medicine are the main tasks to be done here. It is correct to say that there is a timely need to discuss the preservation of this valuable wealth of knowledge in Hela medicine as an intangible cultural heritage and its use in current practices. The study revealed that in the wake of the post-COVID epidemic, there is a renewed understanding of Hela medicine and local food and drinks among the rural people.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - The inclination of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Village Community Towards Hela Medicine and Traditional Food and Drinks During the Post-COVID Pandemic Period
    
    AU  - Nimesha Ekanayaka
    Y1  - 2024/09/11
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11
    T2  - Humanities and Social Sciences
    JF  - Humanities and Social Sciences
    JO  - Humanities and Social Sciences
    SP  - 103
    EP  - 108
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8184
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241205.11
    AB  - The ancient village society lived with a focus on local Hela medicine and traditional food and drinks. The current village society is a group of people who live collectively while maintaining their ancient identity claiming a self-sufficient lifestyle. Against this background, the objective is to study the past situation and the modern nature and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on it. Relevant information was obtained by using the data obtained through interviews with 58 rural households in Alagalla village belonging to Hatharaliyadda Divisional Secretariat Division and from the records of the village officer and the records of the local medical hall. According to these data, it was revealed that there is a wide knowledge and use of the traditional hand medicine of the past villagers in the sample of 10 people over 60 years old. But in the later period, it is possible to identify the distance from this due to leaning towards the Western medicine system, focusing on fast food, and not paying much attention to local medicines. With the after-effects of the Corona epidemic and people's attention being focused on local medicines and food and drinks, the focus was again on this. This is 100% according to the data. The temptation to grow local foods of the past can be identified. It is 80 days according to the data. Among those crops, turmeric, figs, dandila, milk yam, cassava, herbs, and vegetables are the main ones. In the post-COVID pandemic period, trust in local food and Hela medicine has been gained due to Western doctors advising on the use of local herbs, rural people turning to Hela medicine due to the side effects of vaccinations, and increased media awareness. Among the local medicines, the use of a decoction of katupila, Nelli, Aralu, Bulu, Rasakinda, Honey, Nika, Tumba, etc. can be mentioned. Based on this background, introducing Hela medicine as a successful treatment method in the post-Corona period and improving local medicine are the main tasks to be done here. It is correct to say that there is a timely need to discuss the preservation of this valuable wealth of knowledge in Hela medicine as an intangible cultural heritage and its use in current practices. The study revealed that in the wake of the post-COVID epidemic, there is a renewed understanding of Hela medicine and local food and drinks among the rural people.
    
    VL  - 12
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Sections