Gajus (Anacardium occidentale)

Gajus (Anacardium occidentale)
Gajus or cashew or Anacardium occidentale is a tree in the flowering plant family of Anacardiaceae. The English name derives from Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, “caju”. The tree native to Brazil, in the area between the Atlantic rain forest and the Amazon rainforest, and was domesticated long before the arrival of European at the end of the fifteenth century. It was discovered by European traders and explorers. Later, it was planted in India initially to reduce erosion.

The leaves are spirally arranged, leathery textured, 4 to 22 cm long with a smooth margin. Younger leaves can be eaten fresh and the people said that it can prevent and control diabetes.
What appears to be the fruit of the cashew tree is an oval or pear-shaped accessory fruit or false fruit that develops from the receptacle of the cashew flower. The fruit can be eaten raw, or preserved as jam or sweetmeat.

Bark of the tree can be used after boiled with water as antidiarrheal.
The seeds are ground can be used as antivenom for snake bites. The seed oil is believed to be alexeritic and amebicidal; used to treat gingivitis, malaria and syphilitic ulcers.
Gajus (anacardium occidentale)

Malays Healers

Malays Healers
Dukuns are the Malay healer. Dukuns attribute most illness to wind and ghosts, but they do not favor any particular explanation of illness. Many Dukuns are adept at diagnosing and countering spells and charms, and most are also proficient at using herbal remedies for treating illnesses not attributed to any external intentional agent, spirit or human.

The dukun not only cures illness but divines fortunes and can solve problems by either casting or breaking a spell. If property has been lost, the dukun may cause it to return, or he may use his proficiency to identify and punish the thief. A dukun’s services may be solicited to make a protective amulet containing a Quran verse for a newborn baby. Malay healing also focuses on sexual problems. While issues of male potency and female frigidity are address, charms and therapies concentrate at least as much on such matters as jealousy, fidelity, and compatibility. A dukun’s spell can make a person love or hate another person.

Most of the dukuns claimed that the basis of their practice was inherited tradition and divine scripture, their methods of healing varied substantially. They all used some combination of spells, charms, and herbal medicaments, but the basis of their practice was ilmu. Ilmu is an Arabic derived Malay-Indonesian word, the standard meaning of knowledge or science, however, in the context of Malay medicine it refers to mystical knowledge.

The source and authority of knowledge in Malay medicine is attributed to the Quran. Spoken and written charms and blessings from this and other sacred writings are used in Malay healing. Blessings are intoned over medicines, and blessed water is also thought to possess curative power.
Malays Healers