TEBAR SCIENCE (Jurnal Kajian Sosial dan Budaya)
Vol 10 No 1 (2026): TEBAR SCIENCE: JURNAL KAJIAN SOSIAL DAN BUDAYA

Use of traditional medicine for self-medication in the community of Bulutellue village, Sinjai Regency

Abdul Rahman (Universitas Negeri Makassar)



Article Info

Publish Date
24 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study aims to explore the practice of self-medication using traditional medicine among the community of Bulutellue Village, Sinjai, through a medical anthropology perspective. Employing a qualitative approach with ethnographic methods, data were gathered through participant observation and in-depth interviews with local residents and traditional figures. The findings reveal that the use of herbal concoctions is not merely an effort for physical healing, but a form of preserving indigenous knowledge passed down through generations. The community perceives health as a balance between humans and nature, where the selection of medicinal plants is deeply influenced by cultural beliefs and local biodiversity. This self-medication behavior reflects a folk medicine system that persists amidst the currents of medical modernization. The study concludes that socio-cultural factors and ancestral symbolic capital are the primary drivers for the community’s preference for traditional remedies over modern pharmacy for minor health complaints, reinforcing their collective cultural identity.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

JKSB

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

TEBAR SCIENCE (Jurnal Kajian Sosial dan Budaya) menerbitkan artikel dari hasil penelitian dan pemikiran khususnya sejarah, sosiologi, dan antropologi. Redaksi menerima tulisan dari dosen, guru, peneliti, aktivis LSM, Mahasiswa, dan pihak lainnya, untuk diterbitkan melalui tahap seleksi, editing, dan ...