Tribal health problems and their curation methods are both mundane and supra-natural, the latter being characterized by faith, sacredness and beliefs of the supernatural powers which are still more appealing to the majority of the rural tribals or those who are in the process of acculturization. Many of the tribal societies believe that the diseases caused to them are on account of the wraths of supernatural powers like gods, godesses, spirits, ghosts and deities which are locally worshipped. The malevolent and benevolent supernaturals are distinguished and the tribals have devised modes of worship accordingly. To combat the scourges of diseases, the tribals have their own specialists including witch- doctors, priests and medicinemen whose services are readily available at a very nominal cost. The spiritual The spiritual ‘do’s’ and ‘dont’s’ to keep healthy and protected against epidemics are well laid down and many a times the anger and wrath of supernaturals are attributed to the misdeeds and carelessness of certain individuals who are charged by the community as a whole. Imposition of penalty on the defaulter is thought to cause revival of the old and hence continuity of faith.

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Keywords: Tribal Health, Disease Clusters, Supernatural Powers, Medicinemen, small Structures.