Abstract
This anthropological study aims to explore the practice of self-medication as an expression of the autonomy and cultural resilience of the community in Bulutellue Village. Employing a qualitative research method with a medical anthropology (ethnographic) approach, data were gathered through participant observation and in-depth interviews with villagers and local traditional leaders. The findings indicate that the community's increased initiative in taking responsibility for domestic health is driven by limited geographical access to urban medical facilities and physician services. In this context of spatial isolation, self-medication has evolved into a rational adaptive strategy to save time and costs. The use of over-the-counter modern medicines is harmoniously combined with the use of medicinal plants from family gardens. From an anthropological perspective, the phenomenon of self-medication in Bulutellue Village is not merely a curative medical act but a social construct reflecting local understandings of health, time efficiency, and the utilization of domestic space as a bastion of autonomous health management. The study concludes by highlighting the importance of clear, targeted education to ensure that self-medication practices remain safe and rational without losing their roots in local wisdom.
