Abstract:
This ethnographic research attempted to describe
indigenous healing practices of veterinary medicinal plants
with particular references to Saasiggaa Oromo of Eastern
Wallaga Zone. Data were collected using key informant
interviews, field observations and focus group discussions.
Besides a whole of 23 informants (13 males and 10 females)
between the ages of 23 and 76 were carefully chosen to
gather data on indigenous veterinary medicine utilization. The
key informants were purposively chosen according to
reference from elders and culture and tourism officers. The
rest participants were selected randomly. Data obtained from
both key informants and FGDs discussants show that majority
of local people in the study area favor the indigenous healing
practices rather than the formal one. According to data
generated from key informant's interview, the supreme
commonly utilized indigenous veterinary medicines are
prepared from medicinal plant species (25%). In addition,
crushing, squeezing and burning are the largely utilized way of
preparation in healing practices. Oral, dermal, nasal is the
well-known and practice administration among the Saasigga
Oromo. And they use obaasuu drinking, dibuu painting, it
kudhaamuu tying on and dhiquu washing as an application of
indigenous veterinary medicine. In biomedicine healing, the
patient is always vulnerable to high monetary prices such as
drug charges, transport cost, fees for getting treatment and
food rent costs of livestock owner. However indigenous
veterinary medicine has been facing challenges from modern
religion and expansion of biomedicine, the welfare indigenous
healing delivers for the people preferred their stability
