Plants in the healing ritual ceremony: The case of Main Teri in Kelantan

This paper has two objectives, i.e. to identify the plant species that are used in the healing ritual of the Main Teri, how they are being used and which part of the plant that is useful for the purpose. The discussion is based on data collected through observation and in-depth interviews with the Main Teri practioners (Bomoh Teri) in Kelantan from 1989 to 2009. From the plants species perspective, the most common species used in the ritual are rice ((Oryza sativa Linn.), betel leaves ((Piper betle Linn.), areca nuts (Areca catechu Linn.), tumeric(Curcuma domestica Valeton), styrax (Styrax benzoin Dryander), flowers of michelia (Michelia champaca Linn.),canangium(Canangium odoratum Baill.), mimusops(Mimusops elengi Linn.), jasmine (Jasminum sambac Ait.) and coconut(Cocos nucifera Linn.). The plants/plant parts are used to identify the illness, to gauge the ability of the shaman to cure the illness, to extract the illness from the patient and as gifts to the spiritual beings.