Category Archives: Southern region

“Earlier the Halakkis resided at the foothills of the Western Ghats and were known to practice a system of agriculture similar to that of the Thodas of the Nilgiris. They also depended on forest produce and were know to hunt. When a ban was imposed on hunting and their traditional system of agriculture they began migrating to the flatlands, seashores and riversides. At present agriculture is still the predominant occupation. […] Despite their contact with the mainstream world both in terms of people and access to television and other media, I saw Halakki women more often than not in traditional attires.” – Vicky Lakshmanan in “The Halakki people of Uttara Kannada district”
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=14801

“UNESCO adds India’s Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve [resting half in Kerala and half in Tamil Nadu along the Western Ghats] to its list of perfect biospheres: Tribal settlements within the reserve rely on the forests and its 14 rivers for their livelihood. Kanikkarans, the area’s indigenous tribe, rely on agriculture, fishing and hunting. They live in huts made of bamboo and are known for medicinal healing through plants. However, while most of them have moved out of forests, there is still a small population that lives around the Agasthyamala region. To promote sustainability, several programs have been setup to reduce the 3000-strong tribal population from using up all the resources, according to the UNESCO. Some of them also take up employment with the government as guides for tourists coming to the sanctuaries.” – Neeti Vijaykumar in “Agasthyamala Part of UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve Network” (The Better India, 21 March 2016)
https://www.thebetterindia.com/49714/agasthyamala-unesco-biosphere-reserve-network/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20921

“Our intention is to protect, promote and educate the present youths on tribal languages. These unique languages are endangered with many people migrating to urban areas.” – T T Basavanagouda (Director, Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute) on support extended to members of the Hakki Pikki and Dungri Garasia communities whose mother tongues are on the verge of extinction, quoted in “Dictionaries on tribal lingo to be brought out by year-end” (The Times of India, 3 December 2014)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/Dictionaries-on-tribal-lingo-to-be-brought-out-by-year-end/articleshow/45360898.cms
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=17105

“If the discovery [of 19 pictographs from a cave in Hampi] stands the scrutiny of experts in the field, it would mean that the Gonds living in central and southern India could have migrated from the Indus Valley civilisation.” – S. Harpal Singh in “Gonds may have migrated from Indus Valley” (The Hindu, Telangana, 16 December 2014)
Address: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/gonds-may-have-migrated-from-indus-valley/article6698419.ece
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20315

“The growing human population all along the coastal zone is vulnerable to cyclones, storm surges and other natural disasters, including sea level rise. The livelihoods of millions are likely to be affected as a result of both physical and social vulnerabilities. Despite inherent capacity among coastal communities to adapt and cope with changing scenarios, the situation analysis at Sorlagondi village, located in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh (AP), revealed that an asset-less community depending largely on uncertain income sources is facing vulnerabilities due to climate change. They are Yanadi, one of the prominent tribal congregates present along the extended areas between the rivers Krishna and Godavari. The traditionally preferred life style was to live in harmony with god, humanity and nature however, their strong attachment to natural environment was lost due to displacement.” – Case study titled “Diversification of Livelihoods in Transforming Socio Economic and Gender Relations: A case study of Yanadi Tribes in AP” by Sophia J D (Principal Scientist, MSSRF, Chennai)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=27249