Traditional medicinal and magic uses of tiger parts in Sumatra

Canines Magic, curios
A tiger's canine teeth are used to make ornamental jewellery. Some local people believe tiger canines provide good luck and protective powers to those who wear them. The sale of canines is predominantly carried out through shops selling gold, but shops selling precious stones, antiques and souvenirs may also sell tiger canines.

Claws Magic, curios
Claws are most often inlayed in gold to make pendants for necklaces. Local people believe tiger claws provide good luck and protective powers to those who wear them. The selling of claws appears to be almost exclusively carried out through gold shops, although antique shops and souvenir shops also sell them.

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Whiskers Magic
Whiskers are believed to have magical powers to protect those who possess them from malicious curses. The "magic" bestowed by whiskers is believed to be most powerful when removed from a live tiger.

Tail Magic
The tail is usually sold still intact with the skin. However, if the skin is badly damaged it may be divided into small pieces for individual sale. In such cases the tail is sometimes sold separately as a trophy or talisman that is said to protect the owner from curses if it is kept in the home.

Skin Magic
Some people in Indonesia believe that tiger skin contains magical powers. Most typically small pieces of tiger skin are used to protect the owner from black magic. These pieces are also used by Shaman to cast black magic spells on others. Additionally the skin may be shaped into a belt with a magical code used to protect the one who wears it from all dangers posed by wild animals or bad spirits. Some local people believe that the skin will have no powers if it is covered by a human shadow before the trapped tiger is killed.

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Skin from the sole of paw Magic
Used by some local people for ritual purposes.

Skin from the forehead Magic
This is said to be the most expensive part of the skin, as the stripes between the ears are thought to look like the Chinese character for royalty. This piece of skin is believed to bring the owner prosperity and good luck.

Eyebrows Magic
The eyebrows are said to be very powerful and have the ability to protect the owner from evil while giving them additional strength.

Penis Traditional "tonic"
The penis is said to have aphrodisiac powers.

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Gall Traditional medicine
Tiger gall is dried and put into tablets used to cure bone diseases.

Flesh - Traditional medicine, crop protection
Flesh is cooked and eaten to treat skin diseases. Farmers are also known to burn small strips of flesh around the edge of a field to keep wild pigs away. The market for tiger flesh remains generally local and is not apparently commercially significant.

Fat Magic
Farmers believe keeping a bottle of tiger fat will protect their farms from damage by wild pigs.

Milk Traditional medicine
Used in medicinal remedies.

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Tiger dung Magic, crop protection
Some Indonesian Dukuns (Shaman or Witch Doctor) use the manure to treat people who are suffering from black magic spells that have been cast upon them. In one instance, a Dukun brought a man "suffering from a spell" to the Medan Zoo. The Dukun requested tiger manure from the keeper at the zoo and fed it to the suffering man on the spot. Occasionally farmers and plantation workers also request tiger manure from keepers at the Medan Zoo. The manure is spread around the edges of the crops or plantations and the scent apparently keeps wild pigs (Sus scrofa) away.

Bone Traditional medicine
Ground into powder to be taken with a glass of warm water. It is used to treat rheumatism and head aches. The front humerus bone is said to be most highly valued for its strength in traditional medicine (Chan, 1995).

Right front paw bone - Traditional medicine, magic
According to dealers, the bone found in the right front paw is regarded as being the strongest, as it enables a tiger to pull down prey bigger than itself. The bone is put into a glass of warm water and let for a short period of time, then drunk to treat headaches. Some users believe it also has the power to drive away bad spirits.