An Updated Review on Phyto-Pharmacological and Pharmacognostical Profile Of Buchanania Lanzan : A Pharmacognostic Miracle Herb

Buchanania lanzan (Anacardiaceae) is a miracle herb widely used by Indian tribes for treating various diseases. Aim of the current review is to search literature for the pharmacological properties, pharmacognostic studies and phytochemical investigation of Buchanania lanzan. The compiled data may be helpful for the researchers to focus on the priority areas of research yet to be discovered. Complete information about the plant has been collected from various books and journals. Particulars of pharmacological activities, phytochemical isolation, toxicity studies etc. ongoing and emerging areas of research of this plant, especially in the field of phytomedicnes and pharmaceuticals was concluded in the review.

Conceptual Results of the Practice of Re-reading and Rethinking of Ruth Benedict’s Patterns of Culture

Ruth Benedict’s Patterns of Culture has a long history of professional criticism by cultural anthropologists. Still, at the beginning of the 1990s, appeared singular attempts of critical rethinking of the concept of patterns of culture, which were provided with appropriate reconstruction. The initiative belonged to P. Bock and S. Leavitt. Other instances of critical analysis came from attempts to generalize the phenomenon of re-reading the works of Ruth Benedict. In this article those rare initiatives of ‘critical re-reading’ are represented by the paper by B. Babcock and J. Boon. As an analytical unit for reviewing B. Babcock’s academic exposition of conceptual considerations and criticisms, we chose the description of positive perception by Ruth Benedict of the idea from W. Dilthey that we have no grounds for hoping to get any eventual categorical form of rationalization of life from philosophy. As the textual analysis has shown, Ruth Benedict picked this postulation of W. Dilthey’s to block the effect of ‘final’ apologetical theses for support and acceptance of functional descriptions of living archaic cultures of Trobriand Islands and Mainland of Melanesia by B. Malinowski as a template for description of any culture. Regarding the attachment of gestalt psychology implications to existing apologetic arguments for presentation of the mentioned functional descriptions of living archaic cultures as a sample for description of any living culture, the multiplicative meaning of Dilthey’s thesis for Ruth Benedict becomes clear. This multiplicative assignment of Dilthey’s argument shows that in critical reconstruction by P. Bock and S. Leavitt gestalt psychology implications were incautiously presented as a horizon for inclusion of the ideas of configuration, individuality, and culture into the concept of pattern of culture. Concurrently, J. Boon managed to demonstrate that descriptions of antagonism of Indian tribes of Pueblo and Plain cultures contain no depictions of internal testing of one culture by the other. Therefore, a full description of these cultures antagonism as opposition of Apollonian and Dionysian patterns of Indian tribes of Pueblo and Plain culture made up the focal matter of ‘dispositional description’, which is an important methodological achievement of Ruth Benedict.

Compositional Stasis and Flexibility in American Indian Tribes

American Indian tribal power has typically expanded since the 1960s. During this period, often referred to as the Self-Determination Era, tribes have regained much of their earlier political centrality. One rarely addressed limitation during this period is the inability of tribal polities to break into smaller units while maintaining recognition as legitimate. This essay identifies the inability of tribes to exercise what the authors call compositional flexibility and fracture to form new polities discrete of the previous tribe. The authors argue the absence of compositional flexibility shapes tribal politics and is at odds with many forms of traditional governance systems.

Federal Indian Law

Federal Indian law (FIL), also known as American Indian law, is the body of doctrine that regulates the political relationship between American Indian and Alaska Native governments and the federal government. FIL is best understood as the development of this “government-to-government” relationship, which intersects with other bodies of law like constitutional law, criminal law, and environmental law. FIL is comprised of legal doctrines, statutes, judicial decisions, treaties, and executive orders, all of which have direct influences on the rights and sovereignty of Indian tribes. In the United States there are 573 federally recognized tribes that are subject to the rights and privileges, as well as the consequences, of FIL. These federally recognized tribes are the third sovereign authority in the United States—the other two are states and the federal government—that retain inherent rights and that exercise and enjoy sovereignty and self-governance on their own lands. The historical development of FIL in the United States constitutes an important starting point in understanding the special relationship between Indian tribes and the federal government. The origins of FIL lay in three US Supreme Court cases known as the “Marshall trilogy,” after Chief Justice John Marshall, the presiding chief justice of Johnson v. McIntosh (1823), Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831), and Worcester v. Georgia (1832). At that time, the primary questions centered on the sovereign rights of Indian tribes, that is, whether Indians have dominion over themselves and their lands. Throughout the development of FIL, until today, questions of Indian tribal sovereignty—or Indigenous nation sovereignty—remained contentious as Indians continued to fight for treaty rights, autonomy, and self-determination. FIL can be described as a series of wins and losses for American Indians in their fight for sovereign rights. In the end, however, the study of FIL is equally the study of how the United States was able to legally subjugate America’s indigenous peoples and acquire their lands. FIL is basically the study of America’s justification for Native America’s colonization and the genocide perpetrated against American Indians. The literature on FIL or American Indian law is vast, but the most valuable resources are authored by and for attorneys and for students of law. Although the disciplines of Native American and Indigenous studies encompass facets of American Indian and Indigenous peoples’ lives, scholarship in FIL has proven to be beneficial. The resources cited in this article represent some of the widely used texts that provide a solid foundation for studies in FIL.

Uncovering the superior corrosion resistance of iron made via ancient Indian iron-making practice

Ancient Indian iron artefacts have always fascinated researchers due to their excellent corrosion resistance, but the scientific explanation of this feature remains to be elucidated. We have investigated corrosion resistance of iron manufactured according to traditional metallurgical processes by the Indian tribes called ‘Agaria’. Iron samples were recovered from central India (Aamadandh, Korba district, Chhattisgarh). Iron artefacts are investigated using a range of correlative microscopic, spectroscopic, diffraction and tomographic techniques to postulate the hidden mechanisms of superlative corrosion resistance. The importance of manufacturing steps, ingredients involved in Agaria’s iron making process, and post-metal treatment using metal-working operation called hot hammering (forging) is highlighted. This study also hypothesizes the probable protective mechanisms of corrosion resistance of iron. Findings are expected to have a broad impact across multiple disciplines such as archaeology, metallurgy and materials science.

Litigating for the Homeland: An Indian Treaty Framework to Climate Litigation in the Wake of Juliana

Climate change is an increasingly pressing issue on the world stage. The federal government, however, has largely declined to address any problems stemming from the effects of climate change, and litigation attempting to force the federal government to take action, as highlighted by Juliana v. United States, has largely failed. This Note presents the case for a class of plaintiffs more likely to succeed than youth plaintiffs in Juliana—federally recognized Indian tribes. Treaties between the United States and Indian nations are independent substantive sources of law that create enforceable obligations on the federal government. The United States maintains a trust relationship with federal Indian tribes, and that relationship obliges a duty of protection upon the federal government. This Note argues that those obligations may support climate change claims under the theory that the government, by failing to address climate change, has failed its duty of protection under its treaties.

Adivasi Identity, Kingly-citizenship and Ethno-cultural Politics in the Jungle Kingdoms of Odisha

The paper sheds light on the socio-cultural and political identity of the adivasis in relationship to their king(s), in the past as well as nowadays. Based on long time field observations (Nayak, 1972-2005), enforced by theoretical remarks and viewpoints, the research emphasizes that the adivasis in the former “Jungle Kingdoms” of Odisha organize community-based rituals and festivals as politically more organized groups than mere social groups, lineage groups or clan groups with the ultimate purpose of upholding and renewing legitimacy over their land and territory. The use of certain royal symbols and insignia in ritual rites makes explicit how the authority of the king assumes prime- most importance from the point of view of their identity and status as legitimate citizens or, at least as state-owned denizens. The paper intends to discuss these kingly religious rites in their varied manifestations drawing examples from tribal people inhabiting Odisha as a regional variation of the middle Indian tribes.