Tincture
A liquid herbal extract made by soaking herbs in alcohol or vinegar. Tinctures are commonly used in traditional and folk medicine for various ailments.
Tingol
Among the Ifugao people, Tingol refers to a ritualistic healing practice performed by a mun’ngilin (healer) who communicates with the ancestral spirits to drive away illness-causing entities. Offerings and chants accompany the ritual.
Totemism
A belief system in some Indigenous cultures where animals, plants, or other objects are regarded as spirit beings or ancestors, often playing a role in healing and protective rituals.
Traditional Medicine (TM)
Refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures. It encompasses healing practices passed down through generations and includes herbal medicine, spiritual therapies, manual techniques, and exercises.
Unani Tibb
Based on Greek (Unani) and Persian medical philosophy, this practice was adapted by South Asian Indigenous communities. It emphasizes balance among the four humors—blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile—using dietary prescriptions, herbal therapies, and lifestyle adjustments.
Utsukuri
Utsukuri healing, practiced by the Ainu people, involves rituals invoking Kamuy (spirits) and the use of bear fat, herbs, and prayer. Ainu healers believe illnesses are caused by spiritual imbalances and work to restore harmony through offerings and ceremonies.
Winti Healing
Winti is a spiritual and medicinal system combining African, Indigenous, and Dutch influences. Winti healers treat physical and spiritual ailments through rituals involving drumming, dancing, herbal baths, and spiritual consultations.
Yachay
Meaning “wisdom” or “knowledge” in Quechua, Yachay involves the use of ancestral healing techniques passed down through generations. Traditional healers, or yachaqs, treat ailments by calling upon Pachamama (Mother Earth) and using sacred plants such as coca leaves for divination and diagnosis.
Yoruba Medicine
A form of traditional medicine practiced among the Yoruba people of West Africa, combining herbal remedies, divination, and spiritual practices to heal both physical and spiritual ailments.
Yurupari Ritual
The Yurupari ritual is central to Tukano shamanic medicine, involving the use of sacred flutes and chants to invoke ancestral spirits. The shaman uses hallucinogenic plants like yagé (ayahuasca) to diagnose and heal illnesses by communicating with the spirit world.
