Dr Marie Dsouza Papers

Dr. Marie D’Souza is a physician and researcher who dedicated much of her career to working among the Bhili and Kokni Adivasi communities of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra. In 1981, she chose to live in Umaj villages of Nandurbar region, offering healthcare to people who had limited access to modern medical facilities. Initially, her work focused on providing Allopathic treatment for common ailments through a network of trained village health workers, known as Animators. These Animators, recruited and guided by Dr. D’Souza, played a vital role in reaching remote communities and, in turn, introduced her to the traditional healing practices of Adivasi Vaidus (medicine men). Through close observation, dialogue, and community engagement, Dr. D’Souza recognized the efficacy and cultural significance of Adivasi herbal medicine. The villagers placed deep trust in the Vaidus, whose knowledge was not only practical but also rooted in centuries of oral tradition. In response, she began organizing meetings and study sessions with the Vaidus, who generously shared their remedies and methods. Their willingness to teach anyone motivated by honesty and patient welfare rather than profit, became the foundation of her documentation work. To make this knowledge accessible, Dr. D’Souza worked with Fr. Brian D’Silva, SJ of Janseva Mandal, a Jesuit organization committed to Adivasi education and development. Fr. Brian painstakingly photographed hundreds of plants and herbs, often traveling long distances and through forest terrain to capture accurate visuals. These images, paired with detailed descriptions collected from Vaidus and villagers, became critical tools for teaching communities about local medicinal plants. With support from the Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD), Dr. D’Souza compiled this work into a book, first published in 1993 as a bilingual edition in Bhili and English. This publication was groundbreaking: not only did it preserve valuable indigenous medical knowledge, but it also marked the first written use of the Bhili language in Devanagari script, which encouraged the Bhili people to begin documenting their songs and poems in written form. Due to its popularity, the book was republished, followed by a Marathi edition. Beyond the book, Dr. D’Souza engaged with organizations such as the Academy for Development Science (Kashele) and the Ayurved College (Nadiad), where Vaidus participated in herbal medicine camps, sharing their expertise more widely. Her work thus built bridges between indigenous medicine practices, modern medical practice, and academic research, helping communities appreciate the value of their cultural and ecological heritage. Dr. Marie D’Souza’s contributions extend beyond the field of healthcare; they represent a model of ethnobotany, medical anthropology, and grassroots development. By respecting indigenous wisdom and documenting it with care, she has ensured that the indigenous knowledge of the Bhili and Kokni herbalists continues to inspire researchers, practitioners, and communities today. Dr. Marie’s Book besides being printed twice in the original Bhili and English version was taken up for Marathi translation by Social Centre, Ahmednagar and for a revised English republishing by Maharashtra Prabodhan Seva Mandal, Nandurbar. Thus making the Book more widely accessible in Mahaharashtra and beyond Maharashtra.