Traditional and Modern Practices Enhance Health Knowledge of the Bagobo Tribe

Using interviews and community discussions, this paper sought to determine the health practices of the Bagobo in the Malagos watershed, particularly the confluence between the modern and indigenous. This paper discusses why despite the high-level of acceptance of modern health practices introduced by health workers, the Bagobo have not ended traditional ways of making themselves healthy. Instead, they have combined the traditional and modern practices to enrich their health knowledge. The decision to fuse the two is a consequence of what facilities and materials are available to them in the area. The Bagobo have fully embraced modern ways in some aspects of their life-cycle such as maternal and child care, however their indigenous ways particularly circumcision, child-delivery, and the use of medicinal plants still prevail.

 

Keywords - Bagobo, health practices, indigenous knowledge, Malagos watershed