The use of alum in traditional Malay medicine

Traditional medicine is a legacy of the past generations inherited by the ancestors for the wellbeing of society. The Malay community also has a wide range of traditional medicine treatment methods and materials. This study aims to elaborate on the use of alum in traditional Malay medicine as one of the healing treatments of diseases. This study is based on three main objectives, namely to study the practice of using alum in traditional Malay medicine as a healing treatment, analyse the process of ritual use of alum in the medical process and identify the function of alum in traditional Malay medicine. This qualitative study using the method of library research to obtain information on traditional Malay medicine and ethnographic methods through field studies in Kampung Pulau Penarik, Sungai Mati, Ledang, Johor by interviewing traditional healers that use alum. Observation methods were also carried out during the treatment process to obtain a reflection of the ritual process of using alum in traditional medicine. The analysis is done using a medical anthropological approach. The study has identified the ritual process and function of alum in traditional Malay medicine, particularly the treatment of inner diseases associated with spirits. In the context of the ethnomedicine field, this study is important to document the use of alum as part of traditional Malay medicine treasures from being lost over time. In the long run, the community can also take advantage of traditional medical science as a way of alternative medication.